Leonard Trask

American medical curiosity

Leonard Trask (June 30, 1805 – April 13, 1861) was an American who had a "contortion of neck and spine" during his late 20s after an accident while horse riding, which led to Trask becoming a medical curiosity.

After numerous attempts at a cure, several further accidents resulting from his condition, and a loss of employment and mobility, Trask (by then earning small amounts of money as a curiosity) published an account of his condition which further increased his renown.

His condition remained unsolved upon his death, but he was subsequently diagnosed post mortem with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).