content: <PAGE>
   
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                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 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):
   
                                   March 8, 1999
   
                                  ---------------
   
                              Varian Associates, Inc.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
   
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
                 Delaware                          1-7598                   94-2359345
  <S>                                     <C>                      <C>
       (State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
             of Incorporation)                                         Identification No.)
  </TABLE>
   
   
                     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.
   
  In connection with the distribution by Varian Associates, Inc., a Delaware
  corporation (the "Registrant"), to holders of record of the common stock of the
  Registrant at the close of business on March 24, 1999 (the "Distribution Record
  Date") of one share of common stock of Varian, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
  and one share of common stock of Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates,
  Inc., a Delaware corporation, for each share of the Registrant's common stock
  owned on the Distribution Record Date, the Registrant, to be renamed Varian
  Medical Systems, Inc., is furnishing an Information Statement in the form
  attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by reference.
   
  Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
   
    (c) Exhibits.
   
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
     Exhibit
     Number  Exhibit Description
     ------- -------------------
     <C>     <S>
       99    Information Statement of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
  </TABLE>
  <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: March 8, 1999                    By:          /s/ Joseph B. Phair
                                           --------------------------------------
                                                      Joseph B. Phair
                                            Vice President, General Counsel and
                                                          Secretary
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
   
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
     Exhibit
     Number  Exhibit Description
     ------- -------------------
     <C>     <S>
       99    Information Statement of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
  </TABLE>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3705}]
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": "99559957"}, "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: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                WASHINGTON, DC 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):
   
                                   March 8, 1999
   
                                  ---------------
   
                              Varian Associates, Inc.
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
  Delaware                          1-7598                   94-2359345
  (State or Other Jurisdiction       (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
             of Incorporation)                                         Identification No.)
  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.
   
  In connection with the distribution by Varian Associates, Inc., a Delaware
  corporation (the "Registrant"), to holders of record of the common stock of the
  Registrant at the close of business on March 24, 1999 (the "Distribution Record
  Date") of one share of common stock of Varian, Inc., a Delaware corporation,
  and one share of common stock of Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates,
  Inc., a Delaware corporation, for each share of the Registrant's common stock
  owned on the Distribution Record Date, the Registrant, to be renamed Varian
  Medical Systems, Inc., is furnishing an Information Statement in the form
  attached hereto as Exhibit 99 and incorporated herein by reference.
   
  Item 7. Financial Statements and Exhibits.
   
    (c) Exhibits.
  Exhibit
     Number  Exhibit Description
     ------- -------------------
  99    Information Statement of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.
  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: March 8, 1999                    By:          /s/ Joseph B. Phair
                                           --------------------------------------
                                                      Joseph B. Phair
                                            Vice President, General Counsel and
                                                          Secretary
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  Exhibit
     Number  Exhibit Description
     ------- -------------------
  99    Information Statement of Varian Medical Systems, Inc.