Debt Instrument Percentage Of Face Value Received From Issuance

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- Definition

Interest Payable Commencement Date

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest Payable Date

+ Details

Name:	dhr_InterestPayableDate
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Data Type:	invest:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage Of Notes Principal That Redemption Price Must Equal Or Be Greater Than If A Credit Downgrade Or Change In Control Occurs

+ Details

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- Definition

The percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ Details

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- Definition

The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB)

-Number 21

-Paragraph 16, 20

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 835

-SubTopic 30

-Section 55

-Paragraph 8

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, which may be presented in a variety of ways (year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter, etc.).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 129

-Paragraph 2, 4

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from additional borrowings, net of cash paid to third parties in connection with debt origination.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Financing Transactions (Senior Notes Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended								0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jun. 23, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011 Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Acquisition [Member] Aggregate June 2011 Debt Proceeds [Member]	Jun. 23, 2011 2013 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 Notes [Member] Quarter 1 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 Notes [Member] Quarter 2 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 Notes [Member] Quarter 3 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2013 Notes [Member] Quarter 4 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Acquisition [Member] 2014 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Acquisition [Member] 2014 Notes [Member] Semi Annual I [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 Beckman Coulter, Inc. Acquisition [Member] 2014 Notes [Member] Semi Annual II [Member]	Jun. 23, 2011 2014 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2014 Notes [Member]	Jun. 23, 2011 2016 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2016 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2016 Notes [Member] Semi Annual I [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2016 Notes [Member] Semi Annual II [Member]	Jun. 23, 2011 2021 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2021 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2021 Notes [Member] Semi Annual I [Member]	Sep. 30, 2011 2021 Notes [Member] Semi Annual II [Member]
Senior notes, principal amount				$ 300,000,000									$ 400,000,000		$ 500,000,000				$ 600,000,000
Interest rate of debt instrument													1.30%	1.30%	2.30%	2.30%			3.90%	3.90%
Debt instrument, percentage of face value received from issuance				100.00%									99.918%		99.84%				99.975%
Debt instrument maturity date					Jun. 21, 2013									Jun. 23, 2014		Jun. 23, 2016				Jun. 23, 2021
Basis spread percentage to determine floating interest rate				0.25%
Net proceeds from debt	$ 1,800,000,000		$ 1,800,000,000
Date interest is payable						March 21	June 21	September 21	December 21		June 23	December 23					June 23	December 23			June 23	December 23
Interest payable commencement date										December 23, 2011				December 23, 2011		December 23, 2011				December 23, 2011
Percentage of notes' principal in addition to accrued interest that redemption price must equal or be greater than if a credit downgrade or change in control occurs		101.00%