Dr. Perry. This is not my function or my prerogative. This would be undertaken by suitable authorities at the time of postmortem, people with experience superior to mine in determining things of this sort.
Mr. Specter. Where was Mrs. Kennedy, if you know, during the course of the treatment which you have described that you performed?
Dr. Perry. I had the initial impression she was in the room most of the time although I have been corrected on this. When I entered the room she was standing by the door, rather kneeling by the door, and someone was standing there beside her. I saw her several times during the course of the resuscitative measures, when I would look up from the operative field to secure an instrument from the nearby tray.
Mr. Dulles. Under your procedure who had the responsibility for declaring that the President was dead?
Dr. Perry. This was a combination of factors, Mr. Dulles, undertaken by those of us all in attendance, by Dr. Clark and Dr. Jenkins and myself particularly since we were the senior people there.
I was informed subsequently that Mrs. Kennedy left the room several times to just outside the door but returned although as I say, I saw her several times in the room. I did not speak to her nor she to me so I do not have any knowledge as to exactly what she was doing.
Mr. Specter. Did you observe any wound in the President's chest?
Dr. Perry. I did not.
Mr. Specter. Did you observe any wound on the left side of the President's head?
Dr. Perry. No, sir.