Mr. Specter. And was that article accurate, inaccurate, or what was the level of accuracy of the contents thereof?
Dr. Perry. The level of accuracy was not very good at all. It was overly dramatic, garish and in poor taste, and ethically damaging to me.
Mr. Specter. In what way was it ethically damaging to you, Dr. Perry?
Dr. Perry. As you know, it is our policy that the physician's name in the treatment of any patient be essentially kept quiet. There are unusual circumstances surrounding this one, of course, and our names were made public. But this mentions my name freely, published a photograph that apparently was taken of me at the press conference and had previously appeared in a newspaper, and a picture of the emergency room, trauma room No. 1, and although most of the people in the medical profession, I have subsequently been assured by the Society of Surgeons and AMA, that they realize I had no part in it, which is obvious to them because of the gross inaccuracies. Nonetheless it is harmful to me as a member of the faculty of the medical school to have such an article in print.
Mr. Specter. Dr. Perry, did you have occasion to discuss your observations with Comdr. James J. Humes of the Bethesda Naval Hospital?
Dr. Perry. Yes, sir; I did.
Mr. Specter. When did that conversation occur?
Dr. Perry. My knowledge as to the exact accuracy of it is obviously in doubt. I was under the initial impression that I talked to him on Friday, but I understand it was on Saturday. I didn't recall exactly when.
Mr. Specter. Do you have an independent recollection at this moment as to whether it was on Friday or Saturday?
Dr. Perry. No, sir; I have thought about it again and the events surrounding that weekend were very kaleidoscopic, and I talked with Dr. Humes on two occasions, separated by a very short interval of, I think it was, 30 minutes or an hour or so, it could have been a little longer.