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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.2



                    Consent of Independent Public Accountants

To Thermedics Inc.:

         As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the
incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement and related Prospectus
of Thermo Electron Corporation on Form S-4 of our reports dated February 10,
2000 (except with respect to the matters discussed in Note 16, as to which the
date is March 8, 2000) included or incorporated by reference in Thermedics
Inc.'s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended January 1, 2000, and to all
references to our Firm included in this Registration Statement and related
Prospectus.



                                            /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP

                                            Arthur Andersen LLP



Boston, Massachusetts
June 21, 2000