[COOPERS & LYBRAND LETTERHEAD]
 
                                                                    Exhibit 23.1
 
                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS
 
    We  consent  to  the  inclusion  in this  Amendment  No.  1  to Registration
Statement (File No. 333-05303) on  Form S-1 of our  report dated March 4,  1996,
except  for Note 14, for  which the date is  June 4, 1996, on  our audits of the
financial  statements  and  financial  statement  schedule  of  Norland  Medical
Systems, Inc. (formerly Ostech, Inc.) as of and for the years ended December 31,
1995  and 1994. We also  consent to the reference to  our Firm under the caption
"Experts".
 
                                          /s/ Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.
 
Hartford, Connecticut
June 19, 1996