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Shareholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Sep. 30, 2012
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]      
Income tax (benefit) provision for net (losses) gains recorded in other comprehensive income for defined benefit pension, postretirement plans and postemployment plans $ (86)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax $ 121us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax $ (70)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax
Tax expense (benefits) associated with reclassification adjustments 337us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 236us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit 363us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Annual Measurement [Member]      
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]      
Income tax (benefit) provision for net (losses) gains recorded in other comprehensive income for defined benefit pension, postretirement plans and postemployment plans     (151)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax
/ us-gaap_DeferredRevenueArrangementTypeAxis
= bdx_AnnualMeasurementMember
November 2011 Remeasurement [Member]      
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]      
Income tax (benefit) provision for net (losses) gains recorded in other comprehensive income for defined benefit pension, postretirement plans and postemployment plans     81us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeDefinedBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax
/ us-gaap_DeferredRevenueArrangementTypeAxis
= bdx_NovemberTwoThousandElevenRemeasurementMember
Benefit Plans Adjustments [Member] | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]      
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Line Items]      
Tax expense (benefits) associated with reclassification adjustments $ (17)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedDefinedBenefitPlansAdjustmentMember
$ (30)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedDefinedBenefitPlansAdjustmentMember
$ (23)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedDefinedBenefitPlansAdjustmentMember