Mr. Eisenberg. Can you explain?
Mr. Frazier. Yes, sir; the reason being the outer area, the area up to the edge of the firing-pin impression is considerably higher, and the microscope does not have the depth of focus to focus on a very deep groove or depression such as the firing pin at the bottom of it and still maintain the top in focus.
The firing pin is circular, I should say, hemispherical in shape, so that it leaves a cup-shaped impression of it—only one portion of it can be in focus at the same time; the other part being either higher or lower will be out of focus.
Mr. Eisenberg. Mr. Frazier, I now hand you Commission Exhibit 399, which, for the record, is a bullet, and also for the record, it is a bullet which was found in the Parkland Hospital following the assassination. Are you familiar with this exhibit?
Mr. Frazier. Yes, sir. This is a bullet which was delivered to me in the FBI laboratory on November 22, 1963 by Special Agent Elmer Todd of the FBI Washington Field Office.
Mr. Eisenberg. Does that have your mark on it?
Mr. Frazier. Yes, it does.
Mr. Eisenberg. The bullet is in the same condition as it was when you received it?
Mr. Frazier. Yes, sir; except for the marking of my initials and the other examiners. There is a discoloration at the nose caused apparently by mounting this bullet in some material which stained it, which was not present when received, and one more thing on the nose is a small dent or scraped area. At this area the spectographic examiner removed a small quantity of metal for analysis.
Mr. Eisenberg. Did you prepare the bullet in any way for examination? That is, did you clean it or in any way alter it?