Charles J. Carrico

Dr. Dulany and I initially went to see the Governor, as I said, and he stayed with the Governor while I went to attend to the President, care for the President.

Who was the first doctor to reach President Kennedy on his arrival at Parkland Hospital?

I was.

And who else was with President Kennedy on his arrival, as best you can recollect it?

Mrs. Kennedy was there, .and there were some men in the room, who I assumed were Secret Service men; I don't know.

Can you identify any nurses who were present, in addition to Miss Bowron?

No, I don't recall any of them.

What did you observe as to the President's condition upon his arrival?

He was lying on a carriage, his respirations were slow, spasmodic, described as agonal.

What do you mean by "agonal" if I may interrupt you for just a moment there, Doctor?

These are respirations seen in one who has lost the normal coordinated central control of respiration. These are spasmodic and usually reflect a terminal patient.

Would you continue to describe your observations of the President?

His-- the President's color--I don't believe I said--he was an ashen, bluish, grey, cyanotic, he was making no spontaneous movements, I mean, no voluntary movements at all. We opened his shirt and coat and tie and observed a small wound in the anterior lower third of the neck, listened very briefly, heard a few cardiac beats, felt the President's back, and detected no large or sucking chest wounds, and then proceeded to the examination of his head. The large skull and scalp wound had been previously observed and was inspected a little more closely. There seemed to be a 4-5 cm. area of avulsion of the scalp and the skull was fragmented and bleeding cerebral and cerebellar tissue. The pupils were inspected and seemed to be bilaterally dilated and fixed. No pulse was present, and at that time, because of the inadequate respirations and the apparent airway injury, a cuffed endotracheal tube was introduced, employing a larynzo scope. Through the larynzo scope there seemed to be some hematoma around the larynx and immediately below the larynx was seen the ragged tracheal injury. The endotracheal tube was inserted past this injury, the cuff inflated, and the tube was connected to a respirator to assist the inadequate respiration. At about this point the nurse reported that no blood pressure was obtained.