Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (04 of 26): Hearings Vol. IV (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Governor CONNALLY. Into the back seat, and I never completed that turn.
I got no more than substantially looking forward, a little bit to the
left of forward, when I got hit.
Representative BOGGS. May I ask one of the doctors a question? What is
the incidence of recovery from a wound of this type?
Dr. GREGORY. I will defer the answer to Dr. Shaw. From the wrist,
excellent so far as recovery is concerned. Functionally, recovery is
going to be good, too, and Dr. Shaw can take on the other one.
Dr. SHAW. We never had any doubt about the Governor's recovery. We knew
what we had to do and we felt he could recover. I think I indicated
that to Mrs. Connally.
Governor CONNALLY. As soon as you got into the chest and found out what
it was.
Representative BOGGS. But, there was a very serious wound, was there
not, Doctor?
Dr. SHAW. Yes. It was both a shocking and painful wound, and the
effects of the wound, the immediate effects of the wound, were very
dangerous as far as Governor Connally was concerned, because he had
what we call a sucking wound of the chest. This would not allow him to
breathe. I think instinctively what happened, while he was riding in
the car on the way to the hospital, he probably had his arm across, and
he may have instinctively closed that sucking area to some extent. But
they had to immediately put an occlusive dressing on it as soon as he
got inside to keep him from sucking air in and out of the right chest.
Representative BOGGS. Had hospitalization been delayed for about
another half hour or so----
Dr. SHAW. That is speculation, but I don't think he could have
maintained breathing, sufficient breathing, for a half hour with that
type of wound. It is a little speculation. It would depend on how
well he could protect himself. We have had instances where by putting
their jackets around them like this, they could occlude this, and go
for a considerable period of time. Airmen during the war instinctively
protected themselves in this way.
Representative BOGGS. You have no doubt about his physical ability to
serve as Governor?
Dr. SHAW. None whatever. [Laughter.]
Senator COOPER. I am just trying to remember whether we asked you,
Doctor, if you probed the wound in the thigh to see how deep it was.
Dr. GREGORY. I did not, Senator. Dr. Tom Shires at our institution
attended that wound, and I have his description to go on, what he
found, what he had written, and his description is that it did not
penetrate the thigh very deeply, just to the muscle, but not beyond
that.
Representative BOGGS. Just one other question of the Doctor. Having
looked at the wound, there is no doubt in either of your minds that
that bullet came from the rear, is there?
Dr. GREGORY. There has never been any doubt in my mind about the origin
of the missile; no.
Representative BOGGS. And in yours?
Dr. SHAW. No.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account