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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LJI7mbwseoJuCIhDDVwldI6aXFsw2/0G7ouI4FiBATD1doIh0wbJ5FJH2C1hRXos
 6cMBMBP4qSihXjQ8pUCxvQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001182360-03-000005.txt : 20030508
<SEC-HEADER>0001182360-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030508
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030508121614
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001182360-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030506
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030508

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MARTIN JOSEPH B
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001182360

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04448
		FILM NUMBER:		03687526

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC
		STREET 2:		ONE BAXTER PARKWAY
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479482212

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000010456
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SURGICAL & MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS & APPARATUS [3841]
		IRS NUMBER:				360781620
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BAXTER PKWY
		STREET 2:		DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479482000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		ONE BAXTER PARKWAY
		STREET 2:		DF2-2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BAXTER TRAVENOL LABORATORIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19880522

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	BAXTER LABORATORIES INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19760608
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-06</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000010456</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>BAX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001182360</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MARTIN JOSEPH B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock, $1 par value</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>2620</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>2620</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnersh
ip></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value> Stock Option  (Right to Buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.94</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>10030</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2004-05-04</value></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2013-05-06</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, $1 par value</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>10030</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOw
nedFollowingTransaction><value>10030</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">On May 6, 2003, the reporting person received a grant of 2,620 restricted shares of common stock which vest on May 4, 2004.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Excludes 100 shares held indirectly in a family trust.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>William M. Link, Attorney-in-Fact for Joseph B. Martin</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-08</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>martin.txt
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby
constitutes and appoints each of Jan Stern Reed, Thomas J. Sabatino, Jr.
and William M. Link, signing singly, the undersigned's true and
lawful attorney-in-fact to:

1.  Execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the
undersigned's capacity as an officer and/or director of
Baxter International Inc., Baxter Healthcare Corporation or
Baxter World Trade Corporation (collectively, "Baxter")
Forms 3, 4, 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder
and Form 144 under Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933;

2.  Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of
the undersigned which may be necessary or desirable to complete
and execute any such Form 3, 4, 5, or 144 and complete and
execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and timely
file any such form with the United States Securities and
Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority;

3.  Take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with
the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact,
may be of benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally
required by, the undersigned, it being understood that the
documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the
undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in
such form and shall contain such terms and conditions as such
attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact
full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and
thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in
the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted,
as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might
or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution
or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such
attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue
of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein granted.
The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned,
are not assuming, nor is Baxter assuming, any of the
undersigned's responsibilities to comply with Section 16
of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 144 of the
Securities Act of 1933.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, 5 and 144 with
respect to the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in
securities issued by Baxter, unless earlier revoked
by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing
attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this
Power of Attorney to be executed as of this 23 day of August, 2002.



Joseph B. Martin, M.D., Ph.D.


</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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