Reconciliation of Gross Amount of Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits [Line Items]
Balance, January 1	$ 22.3	$ 36.1
Additions related to prior year tax positions	0.7	2.9
Reductions related to prior year tax positions	(2.7)	(4.8)
Additions for tax positions of the current year	3.4	2.1
Settlements	(1.1)	(12.4)
Lapse of statutes of limitation	(1.1)	(1.6)
Balance, December 31	$ 21.5	$ 22.3

Schedule of Unrecognized Tax Benefits [Line Items]

No definition available.

Name:	bcr_ScheduleOfUnrecognizedTaxBenefitsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	bcr_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of unrecognized tax benefits.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 740
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=65882285&loc=SL6600010-109319

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration