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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 LiYBoeTgOeQcVc3jSHyniZXENBpqKoz/3xwK9JvHaiB7zeiC0xWokYFoTIszYqhc
 rrCFH4S9jkl/kPDH0gE3eQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001124173-03-000013.txt : 20030610
<SEC-HEADER>0001124173-03-000013.hdr.sgml : 20030610
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030610115627
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001124173-03-000013
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030606
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030610

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

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			GATLING JAMES M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001124173

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-04448
		FILM NUMBER:		03738546

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JAN STERN REED BAXTER INTERNATIONAL
		STREET 2:		ONE BAXTER PARKWAY DF2 2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
		BUSINESS PHONE:		8479482212

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O JAN STERN REED BAXTER INTERNATIONAL
		STREET 2:		ONE BAXTER PARKWAY DF2 2W
		CITY:			DEERFIELD
		STATE:			IL
		ZIP:			60015
</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>2003-06-06</periodOfReport>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000010456</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BAX</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001124173</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GATLING JAMES M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Corporate Vice President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Deferred Compensation Plan - Baxter Stock Fund</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-06-06</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>52.8</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/><footnoteId id="F6"/></exercise
Date><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F4"/><footnoteId id="F6"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock, $1par value</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>52.8</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>6409.7</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Reporting person allocated compensation deferred under Baxter's Deferred Compensation Plan (&amp;quot;Plan&amp;quot;) to the Baxter Common Stock Fund notional investment alternative.  The value of the reporting person's Plan account is based on the performance of the Baxter Common Stock Fund and any oth
er benchmark investment funds selected by the reporting person.  Amounts deferred are not actually invested in the Baxter Common Stock Fund or Baxter Common Stock.</footnote><footnote id="F2">1-for-1</footnote><footnote id="F3">Equal to the amount of compensation deferred under the Plan on June 6, 2003 allocated to the Baxter Common Stock Fund notional investment alternative, divided by $ 26.09  which was the closing price of Baxter Common Stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 6, 2003.</footnote><footnote id="F4">Reporting person's account balance under the Plan is payable in cash after termination of employment or on a future date designated in advance by the reporting person, subject to the terms of the Plan.  The reporting person may change investment elections quarterly.</footnote><footnote id="F5">Equal to the reporting person's Baxter Common Stock Fund account balance as of June 6, 2003, divided by $26.09 which was the closing price of Baxter Common Stock on June 6, 2003, as reported
 by the New York Stock Exchange.</footnote><footnote id="F6">SEC staff has designated &amp;quot;08/08/1988&amp;quot; as a &amp;quot;dummy date&amp;quot; until the EDGAR system is modified.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>William M. Link, Attorney-in-Fact for James M. Gatling</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-10</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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