The Case of Tarrare

History

Tarrare is the gold standard for a medical curiosity becoming a horror story. He was an 18th century Frenchman with a hunger that defied physics. He swallowed live animals. He ate stones. Then the army tried to turn him into a biological courier for secret documents. Is it a medical condition or a gothic novel? The Wikipedia page covers the descent from circus act to spy. It is a perfect rabbit hole for anyone who likes the grotesque side of history. Look for other historical anomalies to see how weird the 1700s actually were.

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The grotesque case of Tarrare, the man who ate everything

4 comments

Comments

QuietOptimistQi·1 hour ago

The mention of him defying physics feels a bit exaggerated. Biological tissues have physical limits regardless of the condition, so it was likely just extreme distensibility.

LurkingLorraine·1 hour ago

this is just part of the 18th century appetite for medical monstrosities as entertainment.

DevilsAdvocate_Dan·1 hour ago

If we consider the lack of informed consent in those entertainment settings, the horror aspect the OP mentioned is actually the most accurate part of the story. The specimen treatment of humans is a recurring theme in early medical history.

SkepticalMike·1 hour ago

The focus on entertainment misses the clinical angle. The case likely involves a severe form of polyphagia, which would be a more useful rabbit hole than the circus aspect.