True Life Tuesday: Tarrare

Tarrare was born around 1772 near Lyon France. It is unknown if Tarrare was his real name or a nick name. he always had a huge appetite which made him leave home when he was a teenage because his parents could not afford to feed him. Despite his appetite Tarrare was of slim build and average height. His skin was hot to the touch and he sweated profusely. He also had a very strong body odor which became worse after he would eat.  

After his parents kicked him out Tarrare toured the country with a band of thieves and prostitutes stealing and begging for food. he eventually was hired as a warm-up act for a traveling charlatan. He would eat corks, stones and live animals. He would also eat an entire basket of apples one by one. Tarrare moved to Paris in 1788 to become a street performer. During one act he suffered an intestinal obstruction. He was carried by members of the audience to Hotel-Dieu hospital where he was  iven powerful laxatives. He ended up making a complete recovery. He ended up joining the French Revolutionary Army at the outbreak of the War of the First Coalition in 1792. His food rations would not satisfy his appetite so he would complete tasks for others soldiers for their rations and would also scavenge scrap bins for food. He was admitted to the military hospital at Soultz-sous-Forets where he was used in psychological experiments due to his appetite. After a few months military authorities pushed for him to return to active duty. He was made a spy of the Army of the Rhine. It was decided that he would swallow small wooden boxes with messages that he would pass through his system. he was captured by Prussian soldiers and he eventually confessed the plan. He was beaten and almost killed before they decided to leave him near the French border.

Tarrare returned to the military hospital stating that he would attempt any possible cures for his condition. Nothing helps to calm his appetite and he ended up fleeing the hospital when he was accused for killing and eating a 14 month old baby who disappeared from the hospital. He died from tuberculosis in 1798. After death his corpse began to rot quickly. At autopsy it was discovered that his esophagus was abnormally wide, Also his liver, gallbladder and stomach were all abnormally large and his stomach was covered in ulcers. It was never determined what cause him to have such a voracious appetite.