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                                                              EXHIBIT 23.1     
                         
                      INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT     
   
The Board of Directors     
   
Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings:     
   
  We consent to the use of our reports included herein and incorporated herein
by reference and to the reference to our firm under the heading "Experts" in
the prospectus.     
                                             
                                          /s/ KPMG Peat Marwick LLP     
   
Raleigh, North Carolina     
   
May 19, 1997     
