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The decade opened with a shocking revelation: Thalidomide,
a tranquilizer sold largely overseas, was proved to have caused thousands
of birth defects. Although the drug affected only a few people in the
United States, the incident stirred emotions around the world and added
momentum to the rehabilitation movement.
Responding to an increased demand for services, the Institute expanded
from 16 to 48 beds in 1961 and steadily increased the number of outpatients
it treated. The specialty also garnered
worldwide attention through Dr. Kessler, whose tours through Europe, Asia
and Africa dramatized the need for rehabilitation.
In 1969, the 73-year-old physician retired as Medical Director of the
Institute, while remaining active in research and education. His semi-retirement
coincided with a new period of growth for the hospital and marked the
end of an important chapter in medical history.
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