Mrs. Nelson.

Yes; the stretcher was stripped by the nursing personnel working in the room and the stretcher was moved across from trauma room 1 to trauma room 2 in order to get the stretcher out of the room.

Mr. Specter.

What personnel stripped the stretcher?

Mrs. NELSON. Margaret Henchliffe, H-e-n-c-h-l-i-f-f-e [spelling], and Diana Bowron, D-i-a-n-a B-o-w-r-o-n [spelling].
Mr. SPECTER. Did you actually observe Diana Bowron or Margaret Henchliffe strip the stretcher?

Mrs. Nelson.

No; I did not. This was the report that I received afterwards

Mr. Specter.

From whom did you receive that report?

Mrs. Nelson.

From these two nurses.
Mr. SPECTER. Did you see the stretcher after it was stripped in the emergency room to which President Kennedy was taken?
Mrs. NELSON. No, I saw it after it was wheeled from trauma room 1 to trauma room 2, because I was standing there at the doorway between the two rooms with the Secret Service Police.

Mr. Specter.

But it was actually in trauma room 1?

Mrs. Nelson.

Yes.

Mr. Specter.

As it was being wheeled out to trauma room 2 and at the time it was being wheeled out, was there any sheet on it at all---

Mrs. Nelson.

No.

Mr. Specter.

Rolled up on it in any way at all?

Mrs. Nelson.

No.

Mr. Specter.

Did you see where the stretcher was then placed?

Mrs. Nelson.

Yes, it was put into trauma room 2.

Mr. Specter.

Where was President Kennedy's body at that time?

Mrs. Nelson.

It was in---it had been placed in a casket in trauma room 1.
Mr. SPECTER. And was the casket on any sort of an object or was it on the floor or what?

Mrs. Nelson.

It was on a form of roller---type table.
Mr. SPECTER. And did---do you know what President Kennedy's body was in, if anything, at that time?
Mrs. NELSON. Yes, one of the nurses, Miss Hutton, came out and said that the President was having extensive bleeding from the head and they had wrapped four sheets around it but it was still oozing through, so I sent her to the second floor to obtain a mattress cover, a plastic mattress cover, to put in the casket prior to putting his body in the casket, so the mattress cover was placed in the casket and I did not see this happen, but this is how it was explained to me by the nurse, and the plastic was placed on the mattress cover and the cover was around the mattress.

Mr. Specter.

Which nurse explained that to you?

Mrs. Nelson.

Miss Bowron and Miss Henchliffe.
Mr. SPECTER. And what was done with the sheets which had been used to absorb the blood from the President's body?
Mrs. NELSON. Well, there were approximately four sheets wrapped around him and the remaining sheets that were on the stretcher were pulled up and thrown in the linen hamper, according to Miss Bowron and Miss Henchliffe.

Mr. Specter.

And where is that linen hamper located?

Mrs. Nelson.

That linen hamper is located in the utility room area of the emergency room, which is just outside of the trauma room area.

Mr. Specter.

And what floor is that on?

Mrs. Nelson.

On the ground floor of the hospital.

Mr. Specter.

What was done with Governor Connally?

Mrs. NELSON. Governor Connally was in the emergency room for a very short period, approximately 15 to 20 minutes, at which time he had chest tubes inserted, intravenous fluid started, anesthesia or oxygen given to him, and he was taken immediately from the emergency room to the operating room accompanied by several doctors.

Mr. Specter.

Did you see him inside trauma room No. 2?

Mrs. Nelson.

Yes; I did