-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LIsHc4U6Ui9oPzh0jJaM9w3K5M7ez8EwISglF0bvnFPZVQsO8NGDmR04CtY2gkra
 LXv+0RUyE5Z3KviwRdi4nA==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000950117-04-002487.txt : 20040702
<SEC-HEADER>0000950117-04-002487.hdr.sgml : 20040702
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040702114703
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000950117-04-002487
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	8-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040702
ITEM INFORMATION:		Other events
ITEM INFORMATION:		Financial statements and exhibits
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040702

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BECTON DICKINSON & CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000010795
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SURGICAL & MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & APPARATUS [3841]
		IRS NUMBER:				220760120
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NJ
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0930

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		8-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04802
		FILM NUMBER:		04898073

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BECTON DR
		CITY:			FRANKLIN LAKES
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07417-1880
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2018476800

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BECTON DR
		CITY:			FRANKLIN LAKE
		STATE:			NJ
		ZIP:			07417
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>8-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a37993.txt
<DESCRIPTION>BECTON, DICKINSON & COMPANY
<TEXT>


<PAGE>


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)  July 2, 2004
                                                  ------------


                          BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

           New Jersey                001-4802                   22-0760120
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (State or other juris-         (Commission             (IRS Employer Iden-
   diction of incorporation)       File Number)            tification Number)

   1 Becton Drive, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey                   07417-1880
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)                    (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code          (201) 847-6800
                                                            --------------

                                       N/A
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         (Former name or former addresses if changed since last report.)





<PAGE>


Item 5.  Other Events and Regulation FD Disclosure.

         On July 2, 2004, the Registrant issued the press release
         that is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits.

         (c) Exhibits.

              Exhibit 99.1  Press release dated July 2, 2004.






<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                           BECTON, DICKINSON AND COMPANY
                                                  (Registrant)



                                           By: /s/ Dean J. Paranicas
                                               --------------------------------
                                                   Dean J. Paranicas
                                                   Vice President, Corporate
                                                   Secretary and Public Policy


Date: July 2, 2004






<PAGE>


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS
                                -----------------


   Exhibit
   Number        Description of Exhibits
   ------        -----------------------
   99.1          Press release dated July 2, 2004.






</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-99
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>ex99-1.txt
<DESCRIPTION>EXHIBIT 99.1
<TEXT>
<Page>

                  [LETTERHEAD OF BECTON, DICKINSON & COMPANY]

Contact:
- --------
Colleen White, Corporate Communications - 201-847-5369
Patricia A. Spinella, Investor Relations - 201-847-5453

                   BD Announces Settlement of Pending Lawsuit

Franklin Lakes, NJ (July 2, 2004) - BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE:
BDX) announced that the Company has entered into an agreement today to settle
the lawsuit filed against it by Retractable Technologies, Inc. (RTI) in the
United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas in Texarkana, Texas.

"This agreement will enable us to focus all of our energies and resources on our
most important task - meeting significant healthcare needs through the
production of safe, effective and competitively-priced products," said Edward J.
Ludwig, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of BD.

Under the terms of the agreement, the suit against BD will be dismissed with
prejudice, and BD will pay $100 million to RTI. In addition, BD and RTI have
exchanged releases.

BD will record a pretax charge of $100 million ($63 million after taxes and
approximately 24 cents per diluted share) in its 2004 fiscal third quarter
results.

Conference Call
BD has scheduled a conference call for investors, which will be broadcast live
on BD's website, www.bd.com/investors, at 11:30 a.m. (ET) Friday, July 2, 2004.
A replay of the conference call will be available on BD's website,
www.bd.com/investors, or at 1-866-479-2459 (domestic) and 1-203-369-1534
(international) through July 9, 2004.

BD is a medical technology company that serves healthcare institutions, life
science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. BD
manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory
equipment and diagnostic products. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2003,
BD reported total revenues of $4.528 billion.

                                       ***





This press release may contain certain forward-looking statements (as defined
under Federal securities laws) regarding BD's performance, including future
revenues, products and income, or



<Page>

events or developments that BD expects to occur or anticipates occurring in the
future. All such statements are based upon current expectations of BD and
involve a number of business risks and uncertainties. Actual results could vary
materially from anticipated results described, implied or projected in any
forward-looking statement. Factors that could cause actual results to vary
materially from any forward-looking statement include, but are not limited to:
competitive factors; pricing and market share pressures; uncertainties of
litigation; changes in BD's sales volume and product mix; BD's ability to
achieve its cost savings objectives; changes in regional, national or foreign
economic conditions; increases in energy costs; fluctuations in costs and
availability of raw materials and in BD's ability to maintain favorable supplier
arrangements and relationships; changes in interest or foreign currency exchange
rates; delays in product introductions; and changes in healthcare or other
governmental regulation, as well as other factors discussed in this press
release and in BD's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We do
not intend to update any forward-looking statements.


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
