Filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3)
                                                           File Number 333-56406

PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT NO. 27
----------------------------

                                  $829,823,000

                               DANAHER CORPORATION

                     LIQUID YIELD OPTION (TM) NOTES DUE 2021
                             (ZERO COUPON -- SENIOR)
                                       AND
                           COMMON STOCK ISSUABLE UPON
                             CONVERSION OF THE LYONS

     This prospectus supplement supplements the prospectus dated March 16, 2001
of Danaher Corporation, as supplemented March 20, 2001, April 17, 2001, May 2,
2001, May 23, 2001, June 21, 2001, July 9, 2001, July 17, 2001, July 30, 2001,
August 14, 2001, August 27, 2001, August 28, 2001, October 10, 2001, October 23,
2001, November 6, 2001, November 27, 2001, December 11, 2001, January 2, 2002,
January 17, 2002, March 1, 2002, March 27, 2002, April 25, 2002, May 13, 2002,
May 23, 2002, August 21, 2002, August 28, 2002 and November 20, 2002 relating to
the sale by certain of our securityholders (including their pledgees, donees,
assignees, transferees, successors and others who later hold any of our
securityholders' interests) of up to $829,823,000 aggregate principal amount at
maturity of LYONs and the common stock issuable upon conversion of the LYONs.
You should read this prospectus supplement in conjunction with the prospectus,
and this prospectus supplement is qualified by reference to the prospectus,
except to the extent that the information in this prospectus supplement
supersedes the information contained in the prospectus. Capitalized terms used
in this prospectus supplement and not otherwise defined herein have the meanings
specified in the prospectus.

The following represents updated information regarding the selling
securityholders listed in the Selling Securityholder table in the prospectus:






                                                     Aggregate
                                                  Principal Amount                       Number of Shares
                                                   at Maturity of      Percentage of     of Common Stock     Percentage of
                                                   LYONs That May          LYONs           That May be        Common Stock
Name                                                  be Sold           Outstanding           Sold(1)        Outstanding(2)
----                                              ----------------     -------------     ----------------    --------------
                                                                                                
Salomon Smith Barney Inc.                              $3,315,000           *                   24,092             *
All other holders of LYONs or future
transferees, pledgees, donees, assignees or
successors of any such holders (3)(4)                $220,172,000         26.5%              1,600,122            1.0%

----------------
* Less than one percent (1%).
(1)      Assumes conversion of all of the holder's LYONs at a conversion rate of
         7.2676 shares of common stock per $1,000 principal amount at maturity
         of the LYONs. This conversion rate is subject to adjustment, however,
         as described under "Description of the LYONs--Conversion Rights." As a
         result, the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion
         of the LYONs may increase or decrease in the future.



(2)      Calculated based on Rule 13d-3(d)(i) of the Exchange Act, using
         150,909,505 shares of common stock outstanding as of March 25, 2002. In
         calculating this amount for each holder, we treated as outstanding the
         number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of all of
         that holder's LYONs, but we did not assume conversion of any other
         holder's LYONs.

(3)      Information about other selling securityholders will be set forth in
         prospectus supplements, if required.

(4)      Assumes that any other holders of LYONs, or any future pledgees,
         donees, assignees, transferees or successors of or from any such other
         holders of LYONs, do not beneficially own any shares of common stock
         other than the common stock issuable upon conversion of the LYONs at
         the initial conversion rate.

         Investing in the LYONs involves risks that are described in the "Risk
Factors Relating to the LYONs" section beginning on page 12 of the prospectus.

         Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, any state securities
commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these
securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any
representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

           The date of this prospectus supplement is February 6, 2003.

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