EXHIBIT 5.1

                                            April 10, 1997




Tenet Healthcare Corporation
3820 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105

Gentlemen:

    I am the General Counsel of Tenet Healthcare Corporation, a Nevada 
corporation (the "Company"), and in such capacity I have examined the 
Company's Registration Statement on Form  S-3 (the "Registration Statement") 
under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), for the 
registration of 9,580,644 shares of the Company's common stock, $0.075 par 
value per share (the "Shares"), that may be offered for sale by the persons 
listed under the heading "Selling Shareholders" (the "Selling Shareholders") 
in the Registration Statement.

    I have examined and am familiar with originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to my satisfaction, of such documents, corporate records,
certificates of public officials and officers of the Company and such other
instruments as I have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis for the
opinions expressed below.

    Based on the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares are duly
authorized, legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

    I hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the
Registration Statement.  In giving such consent, I do not thereby admit that I
come within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of
the 1933 Act, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the Securities and
Exchange Commission thereunder.

                                       Very truly yours,

                                       /s/ Scott M. Brown

                                       Scott M. Brown