Warren Commission (06 of 26): Hearings Vol. VI (of 15) — John Shaqi
Warren Commission (06 of 26): Hearings Vol. VI (of 15)United States. Warren Commission
History
Warren Commission (06 of 26): Hearings Vol. VI (of 15)
United States. Warren Commission
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 -- Assassination; Oswald, Lee Harvey
Mr. SPECTER. And what action, if any, did you take as a result of
receiving that notification?
Dr. CLARK. I went immediately to the emergency room at Parkland
Hospital. I was in the laboratory at Southwestern Medical School when
this word reached me by phone from the hospital.
Mr. SPECTER. And at approximately what time did you then arrive at the
emergency room?
Dr. CLARK. I would estimate it took a minute and a half to two minutes,
so I would guess that I arrived approximately 12:30.
Mr. SPECTER. And who was present, if anyone, upon your arrival,
attending to the President?
Dr. CLARK. Dr. Jenkins, that is M. T. Jenkins, I suppose I ought to
say, Dr. Ronald Jones, Dr. Malcolm Perry, Dr. James Carrico; arriving
either with me or immediately thereafter were Dr. Robert McClelland,
Dr. Paul Peters, and Dr. Charles Baxter.
Mr. SPECTER. What did you observe the President's condition to be on
your arrival there?
Dr. CLARK. The President was lying on his back on the emergency cart.
Dr. Perry was performing a tracheotomy. There were chest tubes being
inserted. Dr. Jenkins was assisting the President's respirations
through a tube in his trachea. Dr. Jones and Dr. Carrico were
administering fluids and blood intravenously. The President was making
a few spasmodic respiratory efforts. I assisted in withdrawing the
endotracheal tube from the throat as Dr. Perry was then ready to insert
the tracheotomy tube. I then examined the President briefly.
My findings showed his pupils were widely dilated, did not react to
light, and his eyes were deviated outward with a slight skew deviation.
I then examined the wound in the back of the President's head. This was
a large, gaping wound in the right posterior part, with cerebral and
cerebellar tissue being damaged and exposed. There was considerable
blood loss evident on the carriage, the floor, and the clothing of
some of the people present. I would estimate 1,500 cc. of blood being
present.
As I was examining the President's wound, I felt for a carotid pulse
and felt none. Therefore, I began external cardiac massage and asked
that a cardiotachioscope be connected. Because of my position it was
difficult to administer cardiac massage. However, Dr. Jones stated that
he felt a femoral pulse.
Mr. SPECTER. What is a femoral pulse?
Dr. CLARK. A femoral artery is the main artery going to the legs, and
at the junction of the leg and the trunk you can feel the arterial
pulsation in this artery. Because of my position, cardiac massage was
taken over by Dr. Malcolm Perry, who was more advantageously situated.
Mr. SPECTER. What did the cardiotachioscope show at that time?
Dr. CLARK. By this time the cardiotachioscope, we just call it a
cardiac monitor for a better word----
Mr. SPECTER. That's a good word.
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