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. Approximately what time did you arrive at the emergency
room?
Dr. BAXTER. I think it was 12:40--thereabouts.
Mr. SPECTER. And who was present at that time?
Dr. BAXTER. Dr. Carrico and Dr. Jones and Dr. Jenkins--several nurses.
Mr. SPECTER. Can you identify the nurses?
Dr. BAXTER. Yes; Mrs. Nelson--and who else? There were two or three
others whose names--Miss Henchliffe was there.
Mr. SPECTER. Miss Bowron?
Dr. BAXTER. Who?
Mr. SPECTER. Was Miss Bowron there?
Dr. BAXTER. Yes; I believe so.
Mr. SPECTER. Were any other nurses there?
Dr. BAXTER. One or two more, but I'm not sure of their names.
Mr. SPECTER. Can you identify any other doctors who were there at that
time?
Dr. BAXTER. Oh, let's see--I'm not sure whether the others came before
or after I did. There was Crenshaw, Peters, and Kemp Clark, Dr. Bashour
finally came. I believe Jackie Hunt--yes--she was, I believe she was
the anesthesiologist who came.
Mr. SPECTER. Was Dr. Don Curtis there?
Dr. BAXTER. I'm not sure--I just don't remember.
Mr. SPECTER. When you arrived, what did you observe as to the condition
of the President?
Dr. BAXTER. He was very obviously in extremis. There was a large gaping
wound in the skull which was covered at that time with blood, and its
extent was not immediately determined. His eyes were bulging, the
pupils were fixed and dilated and deviated outward, both pupils were
deviated laterally. At that time his breathing was being assisted so
that whether he was breathing on his own or not, I couldn't determine.
Mr. SPECTER. In what way was his breathing being assisted?
Dr. BAXTER. With an anesthesia machine.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you continue to describe what you observed as to his
condition?
Dr. BAXTER. There were no pulses that I could feel present. The
anesthesiologist told me that he did still have a heartbeat.
Mr. SPECTER. Who is that who said that to you?
Dr. BAXTER. Well, I believe this was Carrico who said that his heart
was still beating. There was present at the time two intravenous
catheters in place with fluids running. We were informed at that
time--well, having looked over the rest of the body, the only other
wound was in his neck, that we saw.
Dr. Carrico said that he had observed a tracheal laceration. At that
moment Dr. Jones, I believe, was placing in a left anterior chest
tube because of this information. We proceeded at that time with a
tracheotomy.
Mr. SPECTER. Who performed the tracheotomy?
Dr. BAXTER. Dr. Perry and myself, with the assistance of Dr.
McClelland, and I believe that's all--there may have been one more
person that held the retractor.
Mr. SPECTER. What else, if anything, did you do for President Kennedy
at that time?
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