Calvin Atchley is a very busy ten-year-old. His schedule includes picture-taking sessions, luncheons and other events. He must also spare sometime for exercises.
These are most important of all because Calvin is a victim of muscular dystrophy.
He is also the poster child for a statewide drive to raise money for research against muscular dystrophy and this job, of course, is what causes him to be much in demand,
IN THE MANNER of all ten-year-olds, however, he is very good-natured about not having to attend school when some conflict arises. In fact, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Atchley, suspect he is rather pleased to be called out of the classroom.
Unfortunately, medical researchers interested in muscular dystrophy wish they had more cause to share Calvin's cheerful view of the world in general.
Medical science knows muscular dystrophy is a disease that wastes muscle and turns it into fat or fibrous tissue.
THE PRECISE CAUSE of muscular dystrophy is not known. There are two -commonly accepted theories. One holds that the disease is caused by a hereditary abnormality manifesting itself in the genes of the parents.
The other theory is based on research indicating dystrophy can result from a muscular inability to utilize vitamin E,
One bright spot in the efforts against MD has been the development of the electromyograph. This device deflects and identifies electrical currents from the muscles, differentiating between muscular dystrophy and other diseases.
AT PRESENT THE electromyograph is only used in diagnosis but it is hoped the machine might have potential for treatment.
For the present, however, muscular dystrophy remains a progressive disease which eventually weakens and disables the victim to such an extent that a minor ailment can cause fatal complications.
In many cases, a cold attaching itself to a weakened MD victim develops into pneumonia. When this happens, there is usually no hope for the victim whose entire system quickly fails.
THIS IS WHY exercises promoting good health are so important for Calvin Atchley and others like him. Calvin is a regular visitor to the physical therapy department at Crippled Children's Hospital.
There the heavy braces he must wear on his legs are removed and he is given exercises and whirlpool baths.
The Greater New Orleans Chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Association of America, which has singled out Nov. 17 for a door-to-door fund raising effort, notes that two-thirds of the victims of muscular dystrophy are children. PHOTO CAPTION READS: Dr. Earl Hackett, instructor in neurology at Louisiana State university School of Medicine, shows Calvin Atchley , 10, Muscular Dystrophy Association poster child, how an electromyograph works.
