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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

                          INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

         We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement of Baker Hughes Incorporated on Form S-8 of our report dated November
12, 1997 (which expresses an unqualified opinion and includes an explanatory
paragraph relating to the change in the method of accounting for postemployment
benefits and for impairment of long-lived assets to be disposed of to conform
with Statements of Financial Accounting Standards Nos. 112 and 121,
respectively, as discussed in Note 1), incorporated by reference in the Annual
Report on Form 10-K of Baker Hughes Incorporated for the year ended September
30, 1997.


DELOITTE & TOUCHE LLP

Houston, Texas
August 24, 1998


