content: <PAGE>
   
                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
                         ________________________________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 21, 1999
  
                              VARIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          Delaware                   1-7598                94-2359345
  
       (State or other          (Commission File          (IRS Employer 
       jurisdiction of               Number)            Identification No.)
        incorporation)  
  
       3050 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA                      94304-1000
       (Address of principal executive offices)            (Zip Code)
  
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 493-4000
  
                                  Inapplicable
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  <PAGE>
   
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
  On January 21, 1999, Varian Associates, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
  "Registrant"), announced lower first-quarter results.  A copy of the
  Registrant's press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and incorporated
  herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  
           (c) Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit Number    Exhibit Description
  
  99                Press Release of Varian Associates, Inc. 
                    issued on January 21, 1999.
  <PAGE>
   
                                    SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
  
                                         VARIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.
                                               (Registrant)
  
  Date:  January 25, 1999                By:  /S/ Joseph B. Phair
                                             ------------------------
                                                  Joseph B. Phair
                                              Vice President, General
                                              Counsel and Secretary
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit Number        Exhibit Description
  
  99                    Press Release of Varian Associates, Inc. 
                        issued on January 21, 1999.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2538}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "VARIAN ASSOCIATES INC /DE/", "cik": "0000203527", "assigned-sic": "3559", "irs-number": "942359345", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-07598", "film-number": "99512886"}, "business-address": {"street1": "3050 HANSEN WAY", "street2": "MAIL STOP E 224", "city": "PALO ALTO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94304-1000", "phone": "6504934000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "3050 HANSEN WAY", "street2": "MAIL STOP E 224", "city": "PALO ALTO", "state": "CA", "zip": "94304-1000"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "VARIAN DELAWARE INC", "date-changed": "19761123"}}
text: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.  20549
                         ________________________________
  
                                     FORM 8-K
  
                                  CURRENT REPORT
  
                      Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                          Securities Exchange Act of 1934
  
        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 21, 1999
  
                              VARIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          Delaware                   1-7598                94-2359345
  
       (State or other          (Commission File          (IRS Employer 
       jurisdiction of               Number)            Identification No.)
        incorporation)  
  
       3050 Hansen Way, Palo Alto, CA                      94304-1000
       (Address of principal executive offices)            (Zip Code)
  
       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (650) 493-4000
  
                                  Inapplicable
       (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  Item 5.  Other Events.
  
  On January 21, 1999, Varian Associates, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the
  "Registrant"), announced lower first-quarter results.  A copy of the
  Registrant's press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and incorporated
  herein by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.
  
           (c) Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit Number    Exhibit Description
  
  99                Press Release of Varian Associates, Inc. 
                    issued on January 21, 1999.
  SIGNATURES
  
       Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
  registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
  undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
  
                                         VARIAN ASSOCIATES, INC.
                                               (Registrant)
  
  Date:  January 25, 1999                By:  /S/ Joseph B. Phair
                                             ------------------------
                                                  Joseph B. Phair
                                              Vice President, General
                                              Counsel and Secretary
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit Number        Exhibit Description
  
  99                    Press Release of Varian Associates, Inc. 
                        issued on January 21, 1999.