-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 UClDt8K3mjp58kUHgiT+asHW5Jq+6gtcsZtC2gDYNsyfKeGjkkKpNQeY3lf5FrfF
 bjvW34yNCLoGNmATa3qXUg==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000897226-98-000035.txt : 19980513
<SEC-HEADER>0000897226-98-000035.hdr.sgml : 19980513
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000897226-98-000035
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	SC 13G/A
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		19980512
SROS:			NASD

SUBJECT COMPANY:	

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BIO RAD LABORATORIES INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000012208
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	LABORATORY ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENTS [3826]
		IRS NUMBER:				941381833
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		SC 13G/A
		SEC ACT:		
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	005-13379
		FILM NUMBER:		98616170

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1000 ALFRED NOBEL DR
		CITY:			HERCULES
		STATE:			CA
		ZIP:			94547
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5107247000

FILED BY:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			PRIVATE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT INC /FL
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000897226
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	UNKNOWN SIC - 0000 [0000]
		IRS NUMBER:				592756929
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			FL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		SC 13G/A

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3003 TAMIAMI TRAIL NORTH
		CITY:			NAPLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33940
		BUSINESS PHONE:		9414344069

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		3003 TAMIAMI TRAIL NORTH
		STREET 2:		3003 TAMIAMI TRAIL NORTH
		CITY:			NAPLES
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33940
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>SC 13G/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<TEXT>

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G - AMENDMENT 5
(Name of Issuer)
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.

(Title of Class of Securities)
Common Stock

(CUSIP Number)
090572207

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
Private Capital Management, Inc.

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
59-2756929

MEMBER OF A GROUP?
(b) X

PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Florida

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:
SOLE VOTING POWER 2000
SHARED VOTING POWER 0
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 2000
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 990300

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
992300

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
10.1%

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA

NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
Bruce S. Sherman

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
###-##-####

MEMBER OF A GROUP?
(b) X

CITIZENSHIP
U.S. Citizen

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:
SOLE VOTING POWER 9000
SHARED VOTING POWER 0
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 9000
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 1098600

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
1107600

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES
(yes)

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY
OWNED
11.3%

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IN


NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
SPS Partners, L.P.

I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO.
65-0496234

MEMBER OF A GROUP?
(b) X

PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH:
SOLE VOTING POWER 0
SHARED VOTING POWER 0
SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 0
SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER 108300

AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
108300

PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED
1.1%

TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON
IA

ITEMS 1 - 10 OF GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

Item 1.
(a)Name of Issuer:  Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
(b)Address of Issuer:  1000 Alfred Nobel Drive, Hercules, CA  94547

Item 2.
(a)Name of Person Filing:  See Exhibit 1
(b)Address of Person Filing:3003 Tamiami Trail N., Naples, FL  33940
(c)Citizenship:  See Exhibit 1
(d)Title of Class of Securities:  Common Stock
(e)CUSIP Number:  090572207

Item 3. 
The reporting person is filing as an Investment Adviser registered
under section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Item 4. Ownership
(a)Amount Beneficially Owned:  See Exhibit 1
(b)Percent of Class:  See Exhibit 1
(c)Number of Shares as to which such person has:
(i)sole power to vote or to direct the vote:
     See Exhibit 1
(ii)shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
     See Exhibit 1
(iii)sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
     See Exhibit 1
(iv)shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of:
     See Exhibit 1

Item 5. Ownership of Five Percent or Less of Class:
        N/A

Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another
Person: N/A

Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
Company: N/A

Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
        See Exhibit 1

Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group:
        N/A

Item 10. Certification:  
        By signing below I certify that, to the best of my
knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were
acquired in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired
for the purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or
influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and were
not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any
transaction having such purposes or effect.

SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement
is true, complete and correct.

Date:   See Exhibit 2
Signature:  See Exhibit 2
Name/Title: See Exhibit 2



                    Exhibit 1


Item 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing
     1)  Private Capital Management, Inc.
     2) *Bruce S. Sherman
     3)  SPS Partners, L.P.

(c)Citizenship
     1)  Florida
     2)  U.S.
     3)  Maryland

Item 4.
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned
     1) 992300
     2) 1107600
     3) 108300


(b) Percent of Class
     1)  10.1%
     2)  13.2%
     3)  1.1%


(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
   (i)   sole power to vote or to direct the vote
         1)  2000
         2)  9000
         3)  0


   (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote
         1)  0
         2)  0
         3)  0


   (iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
         1)  2000
         2)  9000
         3)  0


   (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of
         1)  992300
         2)  1098600 
         3)  108300


*Bruce S. Sherman is President of Private Capital Management, Inc.
("PCM") and exercises shared dispositive power with respect to
shares held by it on behalf of its clients.  Mr. Sherman is also the
Managing General Partner of SPS Partners, LP ("SPS") which act as 
the Investment Advisor for the Entrepreneurial Value Fund, L.P. ("EVF"),
and exercises shared dispositive power with respect to those shares. 
Mr. Sherman, PCM and SPS disclaims the existence of a group.


Exhibit 2

Signature

After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement
is true, complete and correct.

Date:  May 11, 1998




_____________________________________ 
Bruce S. Sherman
President of Private Capital Management, Inc.




_____________________________________
Bruce S. Sherman
Managing Director of SPS Partners, LLC




_____________________________________
Bruce S. Sherman
Individually        
            




</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
