Tarrare

Tarrare, born around 1772, was a remarkable figure in French history, known for his extraordinary appetite and unique lifestyle. As a child, he faced significant challenges; his insatiable hunger led to his expulsion from his family home during his teenage years. He wandered through France, associating with a group of prostitutes and thieves, before eventually becoming a street performer in Paris, captivating audiences with his bizarre act of swallowing corks, stones, and even live animals.

With the onset of the War of the First Coalition, Tarrare enlisted in the French Revolutionary Army. Despite being provided with quadruple the standard military rations, his voracious appetite remained unquenched. He resorted to scavenging for food in gutters and rubbish heaps, which ultimately led to his hospitalization due to severe exhaustion. During his time in the hospital, he became the subject of medical experiments that tested the limits of his eating capacity, consuming meals meant for fifteen people and devouring live creatures.

Recognizing his unique abilities, General Alexandre de Beauharnais employed Tarrare as a courier for the army, intending for him to swallow documents and retrieve them after passing through enemy lines. However, his first mission ended in capture by Prussian forces, where he endured a mock execution before being returned to his own lines. This harrowing experience prompted him to seek a cure for his insatiable hunger, but despite various medical procedures, he could not adhere to a controlled diet.

In a desperate attempt to satisfy his cravings, Tarrare resorted to scavenging for offal and even attempted to drink the blood of fellow patients during bloodletting. His behavior led to suspicion of cannibalism, resulting in his expulsion from the hospital. Four years later, he resurfaced in Versailles, gravely ill with tuberculosis, and succumbed shortly thereafter, following a prolonged struggle with exudative diarrhoea.