UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
 
                                  SCHEDULE 13D
 
                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                               (Amendment No. 8)*
 
                           THE COOPER COMPANIES, INC.
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                                (Name of Issuer)
 
                     Common Stock, par value $.10 per share
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                         (Title of Class of Securities
 
                                   216648402
                             ----------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)
 
                           Harold L. Schneider, Esq.
                             Tenzer Greenblatt LLP
         405 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10174 (212) 573-4348
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 (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notice and
                                Communications)
 
                                August 27, 1996
            ------------------------------------------------------
            (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)
 
If  the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition which is the  subject of this Schedule  13D, and is filing  this
schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box [  ].
 
Check  the following box if a fee is being  paid with the statement [  ]. (A fee
is not required only if  the reporting person: (1)  has a previous statement  on
file  reporting beneficial ownership of  more than five percent  of the class of
securities described  in Item  1;  and (2)  has  filed no  amendment  subsequent
thereto  reporting beneficial ownership of five  percent or less of such class.)
(See Rule 13d-7).
 
Note: Six copies of this statement, including all exhibits, should be filed with
the Commission. See Rule  13d-1(a) for other  parties to whom  copies are to  be
sent.
 
*The  remainder of this cover page shall  be filled out for a reporting person's
 initial filing on this form with respect to the  subject class  of  securities,
 and for any subsequent   amendment  containing  information   which would alter
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
 
The information required on the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to  be 'filed' for the  purpose of Section 18 of  the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ('Act') or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the  Act
but shall be subject all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).
 








                                  SCHEDULE 13D
 
CUSIP NO. 216648402                                            Page 2 of 4 Pages
 
             
1             NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
              S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
              Cooper Life Sciences, Inc.
              94-2563513
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2             CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*                                       (a) [  ]
                                                                                                      (b) [  ]
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3             SEC USE ONLY
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4             SOURCE OF FUNDS*
              Not Applicable
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5             CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDING IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)      [  ]
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6             CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
              Delaware
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              7     SOLE VOTING POWER
                    2,192,533 shares of Common Stock
  NUMBER OF   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   SHARES     8     SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY        -0-
  OWNED BY    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    EACH      9     SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
  REPORTING         2,192,533 shares of Common Stock
   PERSON     ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    WITH      10    SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                    -0-
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11            AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
              2,192,533 shares of Common Stock
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12            CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*                      [  ]
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13            PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
              18.80%
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14            TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
              CO
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                                     *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
This Amendment No. 8 amends and supplements Item 5 of the Schedule 13D filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on June 22, 1992, as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated November 12, 1992, Amendment No. 2 dated July 6, 1993, Amendment No. 3 dated August 24, 1993, Amendment No. 4 dated July 14, 1994, Amendment No. 5 dated August 15, 1994, Amendment No. 6 dated September 6, 1994, and Amendment No. 7 dated March 7, 1995 (as amended, the 'Schedule 13D'), by Cooper Life Sciences, Inc., a Delaware corporation ('CLS'), relating to the Common Stock, par value $.10 per share (the 'Common Stock') of The Cooper Companies, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the 'Company'). Except as modified hereby, there has been no change in the information previously reported in the Schedule 13D. Item 5. Interest in Securities of Issuer. The number of shares of Common Stock which may be deemed to be beneficially owned by CLS (adjusted for a 1:3 reverse stock split on September 22, 1995) has decreased by more than 1% of the number of shares of the class which are deemed to be outstanding. Said decrease is the result of open market sales of an aggregate of 130,000 shares of Common Stock, as more fully set forth on Schedule I hereto. Page 3 of 4 Pages 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. COOPER LIFE SCIENCES, INC. By: /s/ Steven Rosenberg ------------------------ Name: Steven Rosenberg Title: Vice President September 4, 1996 Date Page 4 of 4 Pages SCHEDULE I TO AMENDMENT NO. 8 TO SCHEDULE 13D
NO. OF PRICE NATURE OF SHARES PER TRANSACTION DATE SOLD SHARE* - ------------------------------------------------- Sale 5/30/96 2,400 $12.125 Sale 5/30/96 10,000 $12.00 Sale 5/31/96 57,600 $12.493 Sale 6/3/96 10,000 $13.00 Sale 6/3/96 10,000 $13.125 Sale 8/27/96 10,000 $13.25 Sale 8/27/86 10,000 $13.375 Sale 8/27/96 10,000 $13.50 Sale 8/27/96 10,000 $13.625 TOTAL 130,000
- ------------ * Before payment of commissions.