Testimony Of Dr. Kenneth Everett Salyer

Mr. SPECTER - May the record show that Dr. Kenneth Salyer is present in response to an inquiry that he appear to have his deposition taken in connection with the inquiries being conducted by the President's Commission on the Assassination of President Kennedy, which is looking into all facets of the shooting, including the wounds of the President and the care he received at Parkland Hospital.
With that preliminary statement of purpose, Dr. Salyer, will you stand up and raise your right hand?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you will give before the President's Commission in the course of this deposition will be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Dr. SALYER - I do.
Mr. SPECTER - Have you had an opportunity to examine the document or the Executive order creating the President's Commission and Rules for the taking of testimony?
Dr. SALYER - Yes; I have.
Mr. SPECTER - And are you willing to have your deposition taken today without having the formal three days of written notice, which you have a right to, if you wish?
Dr. SALYER - Yes.
Mr. SPECTER - You are willing to waive that right, is that right?
Dr. SALYER - Yes.
Mr. SPECTER - Would you state your full name for the record, please?
Dr. SALYER - Kenneth Everett Salyer.
Mr. SPECTER - What is your profession?
Dr. SALYER - Physician.
Mr. SPECTER - Are you duly licensed to practice medicine by the State of Texas?
Dr. SALYER - Yes; I am.
Mr. SPECTER - And would you outline briefly your educational background, please?
Dr. SALYER - A B.S. degree at the University of Kansas, an M.D. degree at the University of Kansas, and internship at Parkland, and now a first year resident in surgery at Parkland Hospital.
Mr. SPECTER - In what year did you graduate from the University of Kansas Medical School?
Dr. SALYER - 1962.
Mr. SPECTER - And how old are you, Dr. Salyer?
Dr. SALYER - I am 27.
Mr. SPECTER - Will you relate briefly the circumstances surrounding your being called in to assist in the treatment of President Kennedy?
Dr. SALYER - Well, for the month of November, as part of our rotation on surgery, I spent that month on neurosurgery, and being on call that day for any emergencies which come in to our emergency room related to neurosurgical problems, we would be called down to the emergency room to see these, and I was upstairs viewing a movie when I heard that the President had arrived and so I thought I should go down to the emergency room and see what the situation was.
Mr. SPECTER - And, upon your arrival at the emergency room, who was present?
Dr. SALYER - Oh, I don't recall--I know that there were a room full of doctors--I could list specific ones that I remember if you would like.
Mr. SPECTER - Would you please?
Dr. SALYER - I don't really think I could give you every one, but I remember Dr. Jenkins and Dr. Perry and Dr. Baxter, and also Dr. Bob McClelland and Dr. Carrico and Dr. Crenshaw, and I think a Dr. Gene Akin was there also---at that time, when I first came in.
Mr. SPECTER - Can you think of any others?
Dr. SALYER - No; I don't recall any others--there could have been some, there were a lot of people sort of moving in and out. There certainly were a lot of nurses in there at that time.
Mr. SPECTER - Can you identify any of the nurses who were there?
Dr. SALYER - No; I can't.
Mr. SPECTER - What was the President's condition at the time you arrived?
Dr. SALYER - It was critical.
Mr. SPECTER - What did you observe about him with respect to any wounds he may have sustained?
Dr. SALYER - Well, I observed that he did have some sucking wound of some type on his neck, and that he also had a wound of his right temporal region--these were the two main wounds.
Mr. SPECTER - Did you have an opportunity to observe his throat?
Dr. SALYER - No; I really did not. I think there were a lot of people--a lot of doctors more closely around him. I might mention also, I think just right after I came in the room Dr. Clark and Dr. Grossman also arrived.
Mr. SPECTER - Doctor who?
Dr. SALYER - Dr. Grossman, just briefly. He's a neurosurgeon also.
Mr. SPECTER - What is his name?
Dr. SALYER - Dr. Grossman--Bob Grossman He was just there, I think, briefly.
Mr. SPECTER - How long was he there?
Dr. SALYER - I couldn't say--I'm not sure he came in the room. I know they were together--I cannot say that for sure.
Mr. SPECTER - To what extent did Dr. Crenshaw participate?
Dr. SALYER - Dr. Crenshaw participated about the extent that I did. We were occupied in making sure an I.V. was going and hanging up a bottle of blood.
Mr. SPECTER - Is the--is Dr. Crenshaw a resident?
Dr. SALYER - Yes, he is third-year resident. That's the reason I remember him specifically because we were sort of working there together on that.
Mr. SPECTER - I had asked you a moment ago whether you had an opportunity to observe the condition of the President's throat.
Dr. SALYER - Right.
Mr. SPECTER - What was your answer to that question?
Dr. SALYER - The answer was--there were a lot of doctors standing around, and I didn't really get to observe the nature of the wound in the throat.
Mr. SPECTER - At approximately what time did you arrive at the emergency room where the President was situated?
Dr. SALYER - I really don't know.
Mr. SPECTER - What was done for the President by way of treatment that you observed?
Dr. SALYER - Well, an adequate airway eventually, of course, some external cardiac massage he had I.V.'s---intravenous fluids going in a number of sites, and all of the acute measures we administered him.
Mr. SPECTER - I didn't hear you at the end of your answer.
Dr. SALYER - I said--all of the many other measures that we administered--I don't recall specifically some of the other details as far as medications and so forth.
Mr. SPECTER - What did you observe with respect to the head wound?
Dr. SALYER - I came in on the left side of him and noticed that his major wound seemed to be in his right temporal area, at least from the point of view that I could see him, and other than that--nothing other than he did have a gaping scalp wound-- cranial wound.
Mr. SPECTER - Has anyone from the Federal Government talked to you about your observations of this matter?
Dr. SALYER - No one has.
Mr. SPECTER - Do you have anything to add which you think may be of aid to the President's Commission in its inquiry?
Dr. SALYER - No, I believe not.
Mr. SPECTER - Thank you very much, Dr. Salyer.
Dr. SALYER - Thank you.