Goodwill & Other Intangible Assets (Rollforward Of Goodwill) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	$ 10,393,738,000	$ 9,452,500,000
Attributable to acquisitions	4,164,700,000	1,157,800,000	422,900,000
Goodwill of businesses contributed to Apex joint venture		(173,800,000)
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations	17,600,000	4,900,000
Effect of foreign currency translation	(101,700,000)	(47,700,000)
Balance, Ending	14,474,323,000	10,393,738,000	9,452,500,000
Test & Measurement [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	3,001,600,000	2,687,900,000
Attributable to acquisitions	35,400,000	308,500,000
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations	400,000	4,800,000
Effect of foreign currency translation	600,000	400,000
Balance, Ending	3,038,000,000	3,001,600,000
Environmental [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	1,383,600,000	1,329,600,000
Attributable to acquisitions	90,600,000	52,600,000
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations	(3,900,000)	4,200,000
Effect of foreign currency translation	(21,100,000)	(2,800,000)
Balance, Ending	1,449,200,000	1,383,600,000
Life Sciences & Diagnostics [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	2,122,400,000	1,512,200,000
Attributable to acquisitions	3,758,300,000	599,800,000
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations	(5,700,000)
Effect of foreign currency translation	(33,000,000)	10,400,000
Balance, Ending	5,842,000,000	2,122,400,000
Dental [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	2,114,500,000	2,043,200,000
Attributable to acquisitions	2,800,000	131,400,000
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations	26,800,000	(8,400,000)
Effect of foreign currency translation	(22,000,000)	(51,700,000)
Balance, Ending	2,122,100,000	2,114,500,000
Industrial Technologies [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning	1,771,600,000	1,705,800,000
Attributable to acquisitions	277,600,000	65,500,000
Adjustments due to finalization of purchase price allocations		4,300,000
Effect of foreign currency translation	(26,200,000)	(4,000,000)
Balance, Ending	2,023,000,000	1,771,600,000
Businesses Contributed To Apex Joint Venture [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Balance, Beginning		173,800,000
Goodwill of businesses contributed to Apex joint venture		$ (173,800,000)