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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. II - Page 359« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Comdr. James J. Humes)

Mr. Specter.
Mr. Chief Justice, I would like to move for the admission in evidence now of Exhibit 391, which is the exhibit on the brain report.
The Chairman.
It may be admitted.
(The document heretofore marked for identification as Commission Exhibit No. 391 was received in evidence.)
Mr. Specter.
Dr. Humes, would you now move over to the wound which appears on the lower part of the neck and upper part of the back?
Mr. Dulles.
Could I ask one more question before we get to that, I am sorry.
Mr. Specter.
Certainly.
Mr. Dulles.
Could one say as to what portion of the bullet was found in all these fragments, I mean arrive at an estimate, was it a tenth of the bullet, was it, how much was it, assuming the type of bullet that we believe was used in this particular rifle.
Commander HUMES. Sir, I have not had the opportunity to personally examine the type of bullet which is believed to have been represented by this injury.
However, I would estimate if I understand you correctly the total amount that was present in the President's skull and brain?
Mr. Dulles.
Yes.
Commander HUMES. Including the fragment?
Mr. Dulles.
Including all the fragments.
Commander HUMES. Including all these minute particles. I would say there was something less than one-tenth of the total volume of the missile.
Mr. Specter.
Dr. Humes, do you make that calculation on the assumption that the bullets used here were 6.5 ram. Mannlicher-Carcano rifle bullet weighing 158.6 grams?
Commander HUMES. Yes, I do; sir.
Mr. Specter.
Had I brought that particular fact to your attention prior to the time you started testifying here today?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir. One point I intended to make clear these fragments which I recovered from this position were turned over to the Secret Service.
I presume that they have made physical measurements including the weight of them, and could give a much more intelligent estimate of the proportion than I. I would say, however, that we did not deliver these minute fragments because they were so small as to be essentially unrecoverable.
So, obviously they were of a very small portion of the major missile.
Mr. Dulles.
These minute fragments were part of the bullet, emanations from the bullet?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir.
Mr. Dulles.
They were not from the head?
Commander HUMES. No, sir, they were small, dust, of the size of dust particles. however-
Mr. Dulles.
Is the posture of the head of that figure there, the inclination of it, roughly the inclination that you think the President's head had at the time from the other photographs?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir. From the photographs and based on the physical examination of this wound, yes, sir.
Mr. Dulles.
That is all I have.
Mr. Mccloy.
Perhaps this was something that Colonel Finck could testify to exactly, but, he would be quite competent. Is there anything to indicate that this was, might have been a larger than a 6.5 or smaller than a 6.5?
Commander HUMES. The size of the defect in the scalp, caused by a projectile could vary from missile to missile because of elastic recoil and so forth of the tissues.
However, the size of the defect in the underlying bone is certainly not likely to get smaller than that of the missile which perforated it, and in this case, the smallest diameter of this was approximately 6 to 7 mm., so I would feel that that would be the absolute upper limit of the size of this missile, sir.
Mr. Mccloy.
Seven would be the absolute upper limit?
Commander HUMES. Yes, sir; and, of course, just a little tilt could make it a little larger, you see.
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