The testimony of Dr. Martin G. White was taken at 6:35 p.m., on March
25, 1964, at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. Arlen
Specter, assistant counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. SPECTER. May the record show that Dr. Martin White is present in
response to a request that he appear to have his deposition taken
because he has been identified in prior depositions as being one of the
doctors in attendance on President Kennedy.
Dr. White, have you had an opportunity to examine the Executive order
creating the Presidential Commission?
Dr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. And have you had an opportunity to examine the resolution
setting forth the rules for taking depositions?
Dr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you willing to have your deposition taken without the
3-day notice to which you have a right under the rules, if you wish to
receive formal written notice? And have three days after mailing before
you appear to have your deposition taken?
Dr. WHITE. No, I want to have it taken now.
Mr. SPECTER. You are willing to waive that requirement?
Dr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. Will you stand up, then, and raise your right hand?
Do you solemnly swear that the testimony you give before the
President's Commission in this deposition proceeding will be the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?
Dr. WHITE. I do.
Mr. SPECTER. Would you state your full name for the record, please?
Dr. WHITE. Martin G. White.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your profession, sir?
Dr. WHITE. M.D.--physician.
Mr. SPECTER. Are you duly licensed in the State of Texas to practice
medicine?
Dr. WHITE. In this institution.
Mr. SPECTER. What is your educational background, please?
Dr. WHITE. I have a bachelor of medicine degree from Northwestern
University and a master of science degree from Northwestern University
and a doctor of medicine degree from Northwestern University.
Mr. SPECTER. How old are you, Doctor?
Dr. WHITE. Twenty-five.
Mr. SPECTER. Were you in attendance when President Kennedy was being
treated on November 22, 1963?
Dr. WHITE. I was.
Mr. SPECTER. And what were the circumstances of your being called into
the case?
Dr. WHITE. I was the intern assigned to the surgery section of the
emergency room on that day and was there when the President's body was
brought into the emergency room.
Mr. SPECTER. And what did you do in connection with the President's
treatment?
Dr. WHITE. I put an intervenous cutdown in the President's right foot.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you have an opportunity to observe any of his wounds?
Dr. WHITE. I saw the wound in his head as he was brought into the
trauma room where he was treated.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you observe any other wounds?
Dr. WHITE. No, I did not see any other.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you observe specifically a wound in the neck?
Dr. WHITE. I did not look and did not observe any.
Mr. SPECTER. How long were you present while the President was being
treated?
Dr. WHITE. I would estimate about 10 to 15 minutes.
Mr. SPECTER. And did you leave prior to the time he was pronounced to
be dead?
Dr. WHITE. Yes; I did.
Mr. SPECTER. Why did you leave?
Dr. WHITE. My duties had been completed and there was work elsewhere,
with the Governor, to be done.
Mr. SPECTER. Who was present at the time you were there, Dr. White?
Dr. WHITE. As best I can recall, Dr. Carrico and I were the physicians
immediately present when the President's body was brought in, plus a
number of individuals who accompanied the cart on which his body was
lying, and the only individual who I knew in that group was his wife,
Mrs. Kennedy.
Mr. SPECTER. And what doctors were present at the time you left the
room?
Dr. WHITE. Well, it would be impossible for me to tell you all the
people that were there, but I knew Dr. Carrico, Dr. Baxter, Dr. Perry
and Dr. Zedelitz, Z-e-d-e-l-i-t-z (spelling)--I know they were there.
Mr. SPECTER. Doctor who--what is his first name?
Dr. WHITE. William Zedelitz.
Mr. SPECTER. To what extent did he participate?
Dr. WHITE. I don't believe that he had any--I don't know what he did
other than the fact that when I was doing the cutdown he assisted me by
just placing some tape over the catheters we used to do this with.
Mr. SPECTER. Is he an intern as you are?
Dr. WHITE. He is a surgical resident here at this hospital.
Mr. SPECTER. Who else was present?
Dr. WHITE. I can't be sure that I saw anyone else, although, as I
say--many people were there whose faces I can't recall.
Mr. SPECTER. Can you identify any of the nurses who were present?
Dr. WHITE. Yes; one of the nurses--there were two there, Jeanette, and
her last name--I don't know at the present time, and she is chief nurse
in the emergency room.
Mr. SPECTER. Doris Nelson?
Dr. WHITE. Yes.
Mr. SPECTER. Jeanette Standridge?
Dr. WHITE. Yes; Jeanette Standridge was the other nurse.
Mr. SPECTER. Do you have anything to add which you think might be of
help to the Commission?
Dr. WHITE. No; I don't.
Mr. SPECTER. Thank you very much, Dr. White for coming.
Dr. WHITE. All right, thank you.