14. Segment Reporting (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number Of Products And Services	8,000
Net sales	$ 2,132,694,000	$ 2,069,235,000	$ 2,073,529,000
Interest expense	61,271,000	51,112,000	53,135,000
Depreciation and amortization	147,200,000	130,400,000	121,000,000
Segment profit	169,456,000	264,176,000	305,241,000
Total assets	3,388,790,000	3,443,503,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	112,998,000	152,417,000	102,888,000
Life Science [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	710,000,000	688,400,000	694,700,000
Interest expense	10,400,000	13,400,000	14,200,000
Depreciation and amortization	32,600,000	26,300,000	17,300,000
Segment profit	(13,700,000)	13,200,000	46,700,000
Total assets	389,100,000	359,900,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	19,800,000	17,300,000
Clinical Diagnostics [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	1,408,000,000	1,365,500,000	1,363,800,000
Interest expense	30,100,000	37,800,000	38,900,000
Depreciation and amortization	91,500,000	92,900,000	93,200,000
Segment profit	176,200,000	202,600,000	206,700,000
Total assets	980,900,000	917,000,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	72,800,000	76,800,000
All Other Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	14,700,000	15,300,000	15,000,000
Interest expense	100,000	200,000	200,000
Depreciation and amortization	100,000	100,000	200,000
Segment profit	1,100,000	1,600,000	1,300,000
Total assets	5,100,000	4,300,000
Payments to Acquire Property, Plant, and Equipment	$ 200,000	$ 100,000