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

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

GALAGEN, INC.
(Name of Issuer)

Common Stock
(Title Class of Securities)

362913105000
(CUSIP Number)

Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement: /  /

(1)   NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON
      S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON 


      John Pappajohn  ###-##-#### 

(2)   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP

      (a)  /  /
      (b)  /  /

(3)   SEC USE ONLY

(4)   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

      United States of America

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REAPORTING PERSON
WITH:
(5)   SOLE VOTING POWER

      450,536

(6)   SHARED VOTING POWER

      108,332

(7)   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER

      450,536

(8)   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

      108,332

(9)   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

      558,868

(10)  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES
      CERTAIN SHARES

      /  /

(11)  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

      7.68%

(12)  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON

      IN

SCHEDULE 13G
  
Item 1 (a).  Name of Issuer:

             GALAGEN, INC.

Item 1 (b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

             4001 Lexington Avenue North 
             Arden Hills, MN  55126-2998

Item 2 (a).  Name of Person Filing:

             John Pappajohn 

Item 2 (b).  Address of Principal Business Office or, if none,
             Residence:

             2116 Financial Center
             Des Moines, Iowa  50309

Item 2 (c).  Citizenship:

             U.S.A.

Item 2 (d).  Title of Class of Securities:

             Common Stock

Item 2 (e).  CUSIP Number:

             362913105000

Item 3.

             Not Applicable.

Item 4.  Ownership:

     (a)  Amount Beneficially Owned:  Includes 46,250 shares
          issuable under outstanding stock options and 63,672
          shares issuable under warrants.  Also includes 54,166
          shares held of record by Mary Pappajohn, Mr. Pappajohn's
          wife and 54,166 shares held of record by Thebes, Ltd.,
          of which Mary Pappajohn is the sole owner.  Mr.
          Pappajohn disclaims beneficial ownership of these
          shares.

     (b)  Percent of Class:  7.68%; based upon 7,272,922 shares
          actually outstanding, assuming conversion of filers
          option and warrant shares, as of December 31, 1996.

     (c)  Number of shares as to which such person has:

        (i)   sole power to vote or to direct the vote:

              See cover item 5.

        (ii)  shared power to vote or to direct the vote: 

              See cover item 6.  Consists of 54,166 shares held by
              Mary Pappajohn, Mr. Pappajohn's wife and 54,166
              shares held by Thebes, Ltd., of which Mrs. Pappajohn
              is the sole owner.  Mr. Pappajohn disclaims
              beneficial ownership of these shares.

       (iii)  sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition
              of:

              See cover item 7.

        (iv)  shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition
              of:  

              See cover item 8. Consists of 54,166 shares held by
              Mary Pappajohn, Mr. Pappajohn's wife and 54,166
              shares held by Thebes, Ltd., of which Mrs. Pappajohn
              is the sole owner.  Mr. Pappajohn disclaims
              beneficial ownership of these shares.


Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

         Not Applicable.

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

         Not Applicable.

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

         Not Applicable.

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the
         Group:

         Not Applicable.

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group:

         Not Applicable.

Item 10. Certification:

         Not Applicable.


     Note:  All information in the Schedule 13G is as of December
     31, 1996 unless otherwise noted.


After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and 
belief, the undersigned certifies that the information set forth
in this Statement is true, complete and correct.

Dated:


/s/ John Pappajohn
- -------------------
John Pappajohn