SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                     ___________________________________
                                SCHEDULE 13D
                               (Rule 13d-101)

           INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT
          TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO
                                RULE 13d-2(a)

                             (Amendment No. 1){1}

                        GLOBAL PHARMACEUTICAL CORPORATION
_______________________________________________________________________________
                              (Name of Issuer)

                     COMMON STOCK, PAR VALUE $.01 PER SHARE
    ____________________________________________________________________
                       (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 378922 10 8
    ____________________________________________________________________
                               (CUSIP Number)

                            KLAUS H. JANDER, ESQ.
                             ROGERS & WELLS LLP
                               200 PARK AVENUE
                          NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10166
                               (212) 878-8000
    ____________________________________________________________________
                (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
              Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications)

                               MARCH 19, 1998
    ____________________________________________________________________
           (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  that  is  the  subject of this
     Schedule  13D,  and is filing this schedule because of Rule  13d-1(e),
     13d-1(f) or 13d-1(g), check the following box  .

               NOTE.   Schedules  filed  in  paper  format  shall include a
     signed  original  and  five  copies  of  the  schedule, including  all
     exhibits.  See Rule 13d-7(b) for other parties  to  whom copies are to
     be sent.




                       (Continued on following pages)

                             (Page 1 of 4 Pages)

__________________________
     {1} 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 or otherwise subject to the liabilities  of that section of the Act
but  shall  be  subject to all other provisions of the Act  (however,  SEE  the
NOTES.)


                                                           

                                SCHEDULE 13D


378922 10 8                                                   PAGE 2 OF 4 PAGES





  1            NAMES OF REPORTING PERSONS
               I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSONS (ENTITIES ONLY)

                      Merck KGaA
                                                                                           
  2            CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*                                     (A)
                                                                                                     (B)
  3            SEC USE ONLY

  4            SOURCE OF FUNDS*

                      OO
  5            CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(D) OR 2(E)  

  6            CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

                      Federal Republic of Germany

                                                7           SOLE VOTING POWER

                                                                   250,000
         NUMBER OF
          SHARES                                8           SHARED VOTING POWER
       BENEFICIALLY
         OWNED BY                                                     0
           EACH                                 
         REPORTING                              9           SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
          PERSON
           WITH                                                    250,000
                                                                                                           
                                               10           SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

 
                                                                  0
 11            AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON                             

                      250,000

 12            CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*              

 13            PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)

                      Approximately 5.83%

 14            TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

                      CO




                                 *SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!






This Amendment No.  1  (this  "Amendment") to the Statement on Schedule 13D
dated  February  22, 1996 ("Schedule  13D")  is  filed  by  Merck  KGaA  in
connection with its  beneficial  ownership of Common Stock, par value $0.01
per share, of Global Pharmaceutical  Corporation,  a  Delaware  corporation
(the "Common Stock").  Schedule 13D is hereby amended as follows:

ITEM 4.   PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION
          ______________________

The  first  paragraph  of  Item  4  of  the  Schedule 13D is amended in its
entirety to read as follows:

"Originally,  the  principal  purpose  of  the  transactions  described  in
Schedule 13D was, in part by means of an equity investment  in  the Issuer,
to  secure  a  secondary site  manufacturer for  its  U.S. requirements  of
Genpharm, Inc., a Canadian corporation and indirect subsidiary of Merck KGaA
("Genpharm"),  of  the  anti-ulcer  drug product Ranitidine.  Because Merck
KGaA  is currently  meeting its requirements  with its existing facilities,
Merck KGaA no longer plans to maintain its  equity investment in the Issuer."

Item 4 is further amended by the addition of the following paragraphs:

"Merck KGaA intends to dispose of all of the 150,000 shares of Common Stock
that it currently owns (representing  approximately  3.5% of the issued and
outstanding Common Stock as of the date of this Amendment)  as  quickly  as
practically  feasible  in  one  transaction or in a series of transactions.
Such disposition may be effected  by  means  of open-market transactions or
private sales.  In addition, Merck KGaA intends to sell that certain Common
Stock  Warrant, No. A-1, Series A to Purchase Shares  of  Common  Stock  of
Global Pharmaceutical Corporation, dated November 8, 1995 ("Warrant A") and
that certain  Common Stock Warrant, No. B-1, Series B to Purchase Shares of
Common Stock of  Global  Pharmaceutical Corporation, dated November 8, 1995
("Warrant B") as soon as practically feasible, most likely to a third party
or parties in negotiated private  transactions.  Neither the purchase price
or prices nor the actual date or dates  on which such disposition of Common
Stock, or Warrant A or Warrant B will occur can be predicted as of the date
of this Amendment.  Nor can assurances be  given  that  Merck  KGaA will be
successful  in  disposing  of its shares of Common Stock, or Warrant  A  or
Warrant B.

"Pursuant to Warrant A, the  holder thereof is entitled, upon the terms and
subject to the conditions set  forth therein, to purchase 100,000 shares of
Common  Stock  (representing  approximately   2.33%   of   the  issued  and
outstanding  Common Stock as of the date of this Amendment) at  a  purchase
price of $2.00  per  share.  Warrant A is exercisable, in whole or in part,
on or after November 8,  1995,  and  on  or  prior  to  November  8,  2000.
Pursuant  to  Warrant B, the holder thereof is entitled, upon the terms and
subject to the  conditions  set  forth  therein,  to purchase at a purchase
price  of  $8.50  per  share  a  number  of  shares  of  Common  Stock  not
determinable as of the date hereof (but in no case to exceed  a  maximum of
700,000  shares  of  Common Stock), according to an earnings test based  on
gross profit, if any,  earned by the Issuer in connection with the sales of
Ranitidine (and any other  products  mutually  agreed  to by the Issuer and
Merck KGaA) under that certain agreement between the Issuer  and  Genpharm,
dated  November  8,  1995,  and  amended  December  15, 1995.  Warrant B is
exercisable, in whole or in part, on or after December  19, 1995, and on or
prior to December 19, 2000."

                                                         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.



                              Date:  March 30, 1998




                              MERCK KGAA

                              By:       /S/ KLAUS-PETER BRANDIS
                              Name:     Klaus-Peter Brandis
                              Title:    Senior Manager Legal Affairs

                                    PAGE 4 OF 4 PAGES