Mr. Specter. Will you describe what other steps he was taking, if any?
Dr. Curtis. He directed that a tracheotomy setup be brought to the emergency room, and I think it was Dr. Carrico directed me to start the I.V. fluids.
Mr. Specter. And what, if anything, did you do in response to his direction?
Dr. Curtis. I assisted him in fitting the tube from the Bird machine to the endotracheal tube and I assisted in removing some of the President's clothes and did the cutdown on his leg.
Mr. Specter. And what, specifically, did you do pursuant to the cutdown on his leg?
Dr. Curtis. A small incision was made on the ankle and a vein is bluntly dissected free, small holes placed in the vein and a venous catheter is placed in this vein and a purse string ligature is then tied around the catheter at one end, and then the wound was closed with sutures.
Mr. Specter. Now, did you do anything else to the President following that operative procedure?
Dr. Curtis. Then, the initial cutdown that I started was ineffective and infiltrated into the tissues. I think possibly I cut the knot too close of the purse string ligature, so I was getting ready to do another one and it was decided since fluids were going in the other leg, it wouldn't be necessary.
Mr. Specter. What other action did you take, if any, in the treatment of the President?
Dr. Curtis. That's all.