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):

                                  July 30, 1997

                    ________________________________________


                             THERMOQUEST CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)


   Delaware                        1-14262                         77-00407461
   (State or other               (Commission                  (I.R.S. Employer
   jurisdiction of               File Number)           Identification Number)
   incorporation or
   organization)


   355 River Oaks Parkway
   San Jose, California                                                  95134
   (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)


                                 (617) 622-1000
                         (Registrant's telephone number
                              including area code)
PAGE
<PAGE>





   Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
            ------------------------------------

       On July 30, 1997, ThermoQuest Corporation (the "Company") entered into
   an agreement to acquire three business units within the Laboratory Products
   Group (the "Laboratory Products Businesses") of the Life Sciences
   International PLC subsidiary ("Life Sciences") of Thermo Instrument Systems
   Inc. ("Thermo Instrument"), the Company's majority owner.  The Company also
   agreed to acquire Life Sciences' Hypersil operations ("Hypersil").  In
   March 1997, Thermo Instrument acquired approximately 95% of the outstanding
   shares of Life Sciences, a London Stock Exchange-listed company.
   Subsequently, Thermo Instrument acquired the remaining shares of Life
   Sciences' capital stock.  The Laboratory Products Businesses develop,
   manufacture and distribute laboratory equipment to the research and
   analytical chemistry laboratory marketplace.  Hypersil manufactures liquid
   chromatography media and columns used in high performance liquid
   chromatography in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical
   production, and forensic science markets.  

        The aggregate purchase price for the Laboratory Products Businesses
   and Hypersil is approximately $160.1 million, and represents the sum of the
   net tangible book value of the acquired businesses at June 28, 1997 plus a
   percentage of Thermo Instrument's total goodwill associated with its
   acquisition of Life Sciences, based on the 1996 revenues of the acquired
   businesses relative to Life Sciences' 1996 consolidated revenues.  The
   purchase price for the Laboratory Products Businesses and Hypersil is
   subject to a post-closing adjustment based on final determination of the
   net tangible book value of the acquired businesses and a final calculation
   of Thermo Instrument's total goodwill associated with the acquisition of
   Life Sciences.

        The acquisition is being made pursuant to an Asset and Share Purchase
   Agreement dated as of July 30, 1997 (the "Agreement"), between the Company
   and Thermo Instrument.  The aggregate purchase price for the Laboratory
   Products Businesses and Hypersil consists of (i) $107.0 million in cash,
   (ii) 1,000 shares of common stock of the Company and (iii) and the
   assumption of $53.1 million of debt payable to Thermo Instrument.
    
        Because the Company, the Laboratory Products Businesses and Hypersil
   were deemed for accounting purposes to be under control of their common
   majority owner, Thermo Instrument, the transaction has been accounted for
   in a manner similar to a pooling of interests.  Accordingly, the Company's
   financial statements include the results of the Laboratory Products
   Businesses and Hypersil from March 12, 1997, the date these businesses were
   acquired by Thermo Instrument.
     
       In connection with the acquisition of the Laboratory Products
   Businesses and Hypersil, the Company is in the process of restructuring the
   acquired businesses.  This restructuring is expected to include reductions
   in staffing levels, abandonment of excess facilities, and possible other
   costs associated with exiting certain activities of the acquired
   businesses.  Except as set forth above, the Company has no present
   intention to use the assets of the Laboratory Products Businesses and
   Hypersil for purposes materially different from the purposes for which such
   assets were used prior to the acquisition.  However, the Company will
   continue to review such businesses' assets, corporate structures,
   capitalizations, operations, properties, policies, managements and
   personnel and, upon completion of this review, may develop additional or

                                        2
PAGE
<PAGE>




   alternative plans or proposals, including mergers, transfers of a material
   amount of assets or other additional transactions or changes relating to
   such businesses.


   Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial
            -------------------------------------------------------------
           Information and Exhibits
           ------------------------

            (a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired: Information
                meeting the requirements of this Item 7(a) will be filed by
                amendment within the time period permitted by Item 7(a)(4) of
                Form 8-K.

            (b) Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Information:
                Information meeting the requirements of this Item 7(b) will
                be filed by amendment within the time period permitted by
                Item 7(a)(4) of Form 8-K.

            (c) Exhibits

                2.    Asset and Share Purchase Agreement dated as of July 30,
                       1997, among ThermoQuest Corporation and Thermo
                       Instrument Systems Inc. (incorporated by reference
                       herein from Exhibit 2 to the Company's Quarterly Report
                       on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended June 28, 1997).


































                                        3
PAGE
<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 thereunto duly authorized, on this 13th day of August,
   1997.



                                             THERMOQUEST CORPORATION 


                                             By: /s/ Melissa F. Riordan
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 Melissa F. Riordan
                                                 Treasurer


   AA972170037









































                                        4
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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):

                                  July 30, 1997

                    ________________________________________

                             THERMOQUEST CORPORATION
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

   Delaware                        1-14262                         77-00407461
   (State or other               (Commission                  (I.R.S. Employer
   jurisdiction of               File Number)           Identification Number)
   incorporation or
   organization)

   355 River Oaks Parkway
   San Jose, California                                                  95134
   (Address of principal executive offices)                         (Zip Code)

                                 (617) 622-1000
                         (Registrant's telephone number
                              including area code)
PAGE
Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
            ------------------------------------

       On July 30, 1997, ThermoQuest Corporation (the "Company") entered into
   an agreement to acquire three business units within the Laboratory Products
   Group (the "Laboratory Products Businesses") of the Life Sciences
   International PLC subsidiary ("Life Sciences") of Thermo Instrument Systems
   Inc. ("Thermo Instrument"), the Company's majority owner.  The Company also
   agreed to acquire Life Sciences' Hypersil operations ("Hypersil").  In
   March 1997, Thermo Instrument acquired approximately 95% of the outstanding
   shares of Life Sciences, a London Stock Exchange-listed company.
   Subsequently, Thermo Instrument acquired the remaining shares of Life
   Sciences' capital stock.  The Laboratory Products Businesses develop,
   manufacture and distribute laboratory equipment to the research and
   analytical chemistry laboratory marketplace.  Hypersil manufactures liquid
   chromatography media and columns used in high performance liquid
   chromatography in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, chemical
   production, and forensic science markets.  

        The aggregate purchase price for the Laboratory Products Businesses
   and Hypersil is approximately $160.1 million, and represents the sum of the
   net tangible book value of the acquired businesses at June 28, 1997 plus a
   percentage of Thermo Instrument's total goodwill associated with its
   acquisition of Life Sciences, based on the 1996 revenues of the acquired
   businesses relative to Life Sciences' 1996 consolidated revenues.  The
   purchase price for the Laboratory Products Businesses and Hypersil is
   subject to a post-closing adjustment based on final determination of the
   net tangible book value of the acquired businesses and a final calculation
   of Thermo Instrument's total goodwill associated with the acquisition of
   Life Sciences.

        The acquisition is being made pursuant to an Asset and Share Purchase
   Agreement dated as of July 30, 1997 (the "Agreement"), between the Company
   and Thermo Instrument.  The aggregate purchase price for the Laboratory
   Products Businesses and Hypersil consists of (i) $107.0 million in cash,
   (ii) 1,000 shares of common stock of the Company and (iii) and the
   assumption of $53.1 million of debt payable to Thermo Instrument.
    
        Because the Company, the Laboratory Products Businesses and Hypersil
   were deemed for accounting purposes to be under control of their common
   majority owner, Thermo Instrument, the transaction has been accounted for
   in a manner similar to a pooling of interests.  Accordingly, the Company's
   financial statements include the results of the Laboratory Products
   Businesses and Hypersil from March 12, 1997, the date these businesses were
   acquired by Thermo Instrument.
     
       In connection with the acquisition of the Laboratory Products
   Businesses and Hypersil, the Company is in the process of restructuring the
   acquired businesses.  This restructuring is expected to include reductions
   in staffing levels, abandonment of excess facilities, and possible other
   costs associated with exiting certain activities of the acquired
   businesses.  Except as set forth above, the Company has no present
   intention to use the assets of the Laboratory Products Businesses and
   Hypersil for purposes materially different from the purposes for which such
   assets were used prior to the acquisition.  However, the Company will
   continue to review such businesses' assets, corporate structures,
   capitalizations, operations, properties, policies, managements and
   personnel and, upon completion of this review, may develop additional or

                                        2
PAGE
alternative plans or proposals, including mergers, transfers of a material
   amount of assets or other additional transactions or changes relating to
   such businesses.

   Item 7.  Financial Statements, Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial
            -------------------------------------------------------------
           Information and Exhibits
           ------------------------

            (a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired: Information
                meeting the requirements of this Item 7(a) will be filed by
                amendment within the time period permitted by Item 7(a)(4) of
                Form 8-K.

            (b) Pro Forma Combined Condensed Financial Information:
                Information meeting the requirements of this Item 7(b) will
                be filed by amendment within the time period permitted by
                Item 7(a)(4) of Form 8-K.

            (c) Exhibits

                2.    Asset and Share Purchase Agreement dated as of July 30,
                       1997, among ThermoQuest Corporation and Thermo
                       Instrument Systems Inc. (incorporated by reference
                       herein from Exhibit 2 to the Company's Quarterly Report
                       on Form 10-Q for the Quarter ended June 28, 1997).

                                        3
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 thereunto duly authorized, on this 13th day of August,
   1997.

                                             THERMOQUEST CORPORATION 

                                             By: /s/ Melissa F. Riordan
                                                 ---------------------------
                                                 Melissa F. Riordan
                                                 Treasurer

   AA972170037

                                        4