In 1919, he joined the New Jersey State Rehabilitation Commission, the first rehabilitation commission in the nation, as an assistant to
Fred H. Albee. He later became both commissioner and its medical director. Kessler received both his master's and doctoral certificates from
Columbia University in 1932 and 1934. He volunteered to serve in the
United States Navy as an orthopedic surgeon during
World War II. He became a captain in 1941. He was head of the orthopedic department at the C.U.B. 13 unit, as well as chief of orthopedics at Base Hospital No. 2 in
New Hebrides and the Mare Island Naval Hospital in California. Through his efforts a new branch of medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, which included physical and emotional healing, was born. Kessler opened the Mare Island amputee center. He was discharged in 1946. After World War II, Kessler became a director of a disabled children's home. Kessler later became an orthopedic physician at Newark City Hospital,
Newark Beth Israel Hospital, and the Hospital for Crippled Children in Newark. In 1948, he founded the
Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange with four patients. Kessler became medical director of the organization. Kessler stated that the purpose of the institute was to "educate the public to the good qualities of the patients." The Kessler Institute was the first rehabilitation center in New Jersey, and the third center in the United States. The Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation held a semiannual Congenital Amputee Clinic and Conference, led by Kessler. He was medical director of the rehabilitation program for children born with an absence of one or more limbs, sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Health's Crippled Children's Program through
United Hospitals. A grant from the Victoria Foundation allowed the institute to expand the program for amputee children. Kessler received the first President's Award of the Committee on Employment of the Physically Handicapped in 1952 under
President Truman, and the
Albert Lasker Award in 1954. In 1962, Kessler oversaw the establishment of a new hospital to aid disabled people in
Tegucigalpa,
Honduras. He wrote his autobiography,
The Knife Is Not Enough, in 1968.
Joseph G. Minish presented an article, "Extraordinary People Seek an Ordinary Destiny", written by Kessler to Congress in September 1969 in order to bring to light the discrimination and prejudice that disabled people encounter. Kessler was one of 15 members appointed to the National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Law by the President under the
Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. The commission's final report, issued July 31, 1972, found that workman's compensation coverage was inadequate in almost every state and had a flawed delivery system. In December 1972, the Governor named seven people, including Kessler, to the New Jersey Workmen's Compensation Study Commission. In September 1973, the commission released a 100-page report that included a list of 14 major deficiencies in the workmen's compensation program and offered recommended changes. As a result of the findings of these commissions, Governor
Brendan Byrne focused on workmen's compensation in his 1973 election. Afterwards, he assigned top Department of Labor and Industry officials to rewrite the existing statute. Kessler was a consultant in activities of the
United Nations, the
World Veterans Federation, the
World Health Organization,
Rehabilitation International and the
United States Government. Kessler died on January 18, 1978. After his death, a tribute was given in Kessler's honor during a February 1978 meeting of the
United States Senate. A collection of his papers is held at the
Rutgers University Libraries. ==Personal life==