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Warren Commission Hearings: Vol. VI - Page 12« Previous | Next »

(Testimony of Dr. Malcolm Perry Oliver)

Mr. Specter.
President at any time during the course of your treatment or examination of him, and you indicated that you had not, and I then asked you why, and you proceeded to tell me of the things that you did in sequence, as being priority items to try to save his life. Why did you not turn him over at the conclusion of those operative procedures?
Dr. PERRY. Well, actually, I didn't have a specific reason, other than it had been determined that he had expired. There was nothing further that I could do and it was not my particular prerogative to make a minute examination to determine any other cause. I felt that that was a little bit out of my domain.
Mr. Specter.
Did you have any occasion to examine the President's clothing to ascertain direction of the missile ?

Dr. PERRY. No; I did not. The only aspect of clothing that I know about---I happen to recall pushing up the brace which he had on in an attempt to feel a femoral pulse when I arrived, and I could not, but the shirt had been removed by the personnel there in the emergency room, I assume.
Mr. Specter.
What did you observe as to the description of that brace?
Dr. PERRY. I couldn't give you a description. I just saw and felt the lower edge of one, and 1 reached to feel the left femoral pulse.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you see whether the President was wearing any sort of an Ace bandage on the midsection of his body when his trousers were taken down?
Dr. PERRY. There was evidence of an Ace bandage I saw it sticking out from the edge on the right side, as I recall. I don't believe it was on the midsection, although it may have been. I believe it was on his right leg--his right thigh.
Mr. Specter.
Do you know whether it was on the left leg and thigh as well?
Dr. PERRY. No, I don't. I just saw that briefly when I was reaching for that pulse and I didn't do any examination at all of the lower trunk or lower extremities.
Mr. Specter.
Did you personally make any examination by feeling, or in any other way, of the President's back?
Dr. PERRY. I did not.
Mr. Specter.
Did you participate in a press conference or press conferences following

the death of the President?
Dr. PERRY. Yes.
Mr. Specter.
And when was the first of such press conferences?
Dr. PERRY. I don't know the exact time, Mr. Specter. It must have been within the hour, I would say; I don't know exactly.
Mr. SPECTER. And who was present at that press conference by way of identifying, if you can, the members of the news media?
Dr. PERRY. I have no idea. The press conference was held in classrooms 1 and 2 combined here at Parkland. The room was quite full of people. I remember noting. some surprise how quickly they had put in a couple of telephones at the back. There were numerous cameras and lights, and flashbulbs, and I went there with one of the administrators, Mr. Landregan, and Dr. Kemp Clark and Mr. Hawkes, who was identified to me as being with the White House Press. I don't know--there were numerous people of the press.
Mr. Specter.
What doctors appeared and spoke at that press conference?
Dr. PERRY. Dr. Clark, myself, and Dr. Baxter was also there. He arrived a little bit late. I called him just before I went down and asked him and Dr. McClelland to come. I could not find Dr. McClelland. He apparently was busy with a patient at the time. I recall Dr. Baxter came in after the press conference had begun, but I don't believe he said anything. Dr. Clark and I answered the majority of the questions.

Mr. SPECTER. Well, what questions were asked of you and what responses did you give at that press conference?
Dr. PERRY. Well, there were numerous questions asked, all the questions I cannot remember, of course. Specifically, the thing that seemed to be of most interest at that point was actually trying to get me to speculate as to direction of the bullets, the number of bullets, and the exact cause of death.
The first two questions I could not answer, and my reply to them was that I did not know, if there were one or two bullets, and I could not categorically state about the nature of the neck wound, whether it was an entrance or an
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