Tarrare: The Man Who Ate Anything and His Bizarre Medical Mystery

Tarrare was an 18th-century French man known for his ability to eat nearly anything put in front of him, earning him notoriety as “the man who ate anything.” Born in Lyon, he became a showman whose appetite stunned crowds, routinely consuming enough food to feed multiple people at once. His acts extended far beyond common fare and included swallowing live animals and various objects.

His extraordinary eating habits left doctors and witnesses baffled. Despite consuming huge quantities of food and inedible items, his hunger was never satisfied. Tarrare’s unusual condition shaped much of his adult life and even led him to roles outside of public performance, including service in the French army.

The story of Tarrare continues to puzzle historians and medical experts. His life invites curiosity about the limits of human biology, and the extremes one man could reach when faced with insatiable appetite.

Early Life and Background

Tarrare's life began in rural France during a time of social upheaval and poverty. From a young age, his unusual appetite set him apart and shaped the course of his future.

Childhood in 18th Century France

Tarrare was born in 1772 near Lyon, a region affected by the challenges of pre-revolutionary France. His family was poor, and access to consistent food was uncertain.

Despite limited resources, Tarrare’s parents noticed his remarkable ability to consume food in vast quantities. He was often described as slim but ate enough to feed several people.

Growing up, Tarrare sometimes had to fend for himself on the streets. As a teenager, he began performing as a street entertainer, exhibiting his eating abilities for crowds. These performances marked the beginning of his unusual career.

Life in 18th-century France was harsh for the lower classes. Tarrare’s background and early struggles set the stage for his later infamy.

Onset of Insatiable Hunger

Tarrare’s hunger was evident from childhood and only intensified as he grew older. He was constantly hungry, eating meals far larger than those of adults around him.

Neighbors and family members often remarked on his insatiable appetite. The volume of food he consumed was extraordinary, reportedly enough to feed up to 15 people at once.

Despite this, Tarrare never appeared to gain much weight. His thin frame contrasted sharply with the amount he could eat, baffling those who saw him.

Doctors later tried to understand his condition, but no clear explanation was ever found for his extraordinary hunger. This unrelenting appetite became the defining feature of his life.

Tarrare's Extraordinary Appetite

Tarrare displayed eating behaviors that confounded medical experts of his era and remain puzzling today. His extreme hunger, abnormal eating habits, and consumption of inedible and dangerous items have drawn wide attention from both historians and scientists.

Signs of Insatiable Appetite

Tarrare’s appetite was so extreme that it stood out even among cases of gluttony recorded in history. Reports describe him able to consume massive quantities of food in a single sitting, with witnesses stating he could eat a meal meant for fifteen people and still appear hungry.

As a teenager, his family reportedly could not provide enough food, eventually forcing him to leave home. Even in military service, rations were insufficient, and he would scavenge for offal, discarded scraps, and even forage through garbage to try to satisfy his hunger.

The constant search for food affected every aspect of his daily life. Despite the enormous amounts he ate, he never seemed to gain weight or store fat, which further perplexed observers.

Polyphagia and Pica

Tarrare’s condition went beyond typical overeating and included symptoms of polyphagia, defined as excessive or insatiable hunger. This was accompanied by pica, a disorder characterized by eating substances not considered food.

He was observed consuming live animals, including snakes, lizards, and even whole eels swallowed without chewing. There are documented incidents of him eating rocks, corks, and trash, highlighting the compulsive and indiscriminate nature of his consumption.

Reports also indicate that medical staff saw him eat garbage and, in some disturbing cases, attempt to consume corpses in hospital settings. These behaviors align with severe forms of pica and further illustrate the extreme extent of his eating disorder.

Condition Description Example Items Polyphagia Chronic, uncontrollable hunger Meat, bread, groceries Pica Compulsive eating of non-nutritive or dangerous objects Rocks, trash, corks

Unusual Food Consumption

Tarrare’s willingness to eat living and typically inedible items made his case particularly infamous. Onlookers reported that he would swallow live cats whole, later vomiting up the fur and bones. He also ate snakes, lizards, and an entire eel without chewing.

His diet extended far beyond animals. Tarrare was seen eating entire baskets of apples, massive amounts of raw meat, and even garbage picked from the streets. The variety and volume of substances he ingested went far beyond normal dietary habits.

Despite these dangerous behaviors, Tarrare rarely appeared to suffer ill effects immediately after consuming hazardous items. His resilience perplexed doctors, who documented many of his eating feats in medical records and attempted to understand the cause of his unique condition.

Notorious Feats and Performances

Tarrare was famous for astounding public displays involving his insatiable appetite. His performances in Paris and association with unusual eating groups became defining aspects of his legacy.

Street Performer in Paris

Tarrare’s rise began as a street performer in Paris during the late 1780s. He drew crowds by showcasing his ability to eat nearly any material, including corks, stones, live animals, and entire baskets of apples. People would challenge him with bizarre items, and he rarely refused.

He was noted for eating enormous volumes of food in a single sitting, often consuming the equivalent of a meal meant for several adults. Observers in Paris described him as a spectacle, transforming his excessive hunger into a source of income.

Examples from eyewitnesses:

Item Eaten Description Live animals Cats, puppies, snakes Inedible objects Stones, corks, whole baskets Uncooked meat Raw beef, offal

His act was so unusual that it attracted the attention of local physicians and the curious public alike.

The Cat Eaters and Fortean Times

Tarrare carried his notoriety beyond solo acts. He became loosely associated with groups known as “the cat eaters,” a name given to individuals infamous for consuming live or raw animals, particularly cats, as part of public performances or stunts.

Mentions of these acts sometimes appear in later publications such as Fortean Times, which discusses accounts of extraordinary natural phenomena and unusual people. Tarrare's involvement with cat eating solidified his reputation as an extreme eater, placing him among a rare class of performers.

While details about these groups are scattered and sometimes sensationalized, his documented consumption of cats was well-known. This connection contributed to his near-mythical status in the annals of bizarre medical and performance history.

Tarrare During the French Revolution

Tarrare’s unusual condition drew attention during turbulent times in France. The French Revolution created major upheaval, particularly for those serving in the military, where food shortages and strict rationing were routine.

Joining the French Revolutionary Army

Tarrare enlisted as a soldier during the early years of the French Revolution. Records from this period suggest he served with the French Revolutionary Army, drawn by promises of steady food and employment.

His reputation for eating large quantities quickly spread among the ranks. Officers observed that despite being given his full share of military rations, he never seemed satisfied and often scrounged for extra scraps.

Tarrare’s peculiar hunger marked him as an oddity within the army. He often volunteered for dangerous missions in hopes of earning extra food rewards. It was also during his military service that his disorder caught the attention of military doctors, leading to further investigation into his case.

Military Rations and Hunger

The army during the Revolution faced strict rationing due to supply problems and chaos from the ongoing conflict. Soldiers received limited portions of bread, meat, and legumes, which proved especially insufficient for someone like Tarrare.

Each day, he would consume his standard ration in moments and resort to eating discarded scraps, offal, or even foraging for garbage. He was reported to have eaten what other soldiers refused, including spoiled food and waste.

Medical staff attempted to provide supplemental rations, but it was never enough to relieve his constant hunger. This extreme need became so disruptive that Tarrare was eventually moved from front-line duty and subjected to observation by military physicians.

Medical Examination and Theories

Tarrare’s abnormal eating behaviors prompted extensive medical study during his life. Specific physical findings and modern analysis provide insight, but no single explanation fully accounts for his symptoms.

Medical Mystery and Diagnosis

Doctors at the time documented unusual features in Tarrare's case, noting his extreme hunger and the vast amounts of food he consumed. He was observed in hospital settings where medical staff attempted to measure his eating capacity through controlled experiments.

His body presented with a wide mouth, an elastic stomach, and an unusually large gullet. During examinations, hospital staff reported that he would eat live animals, large meals, and even objects not typically considered food.

Despite his voracious appetite, Tarrare remained thin and showed signs of exhaustion, frequently collapsing from intestinal distress. When he died, an autopsy revealed abnormalities in his organs, but no definitive diagnosis was given. The condition continued to puzzle medical professionals, resulting in a lack of consensus that persists today.

Possible Causes: Hyperthyroidism and Other Conditions

Hyperthyroidism is one theory suggested to explain Tarrare’s symptoms. This condition involves an overactive thyroid gland, which can cause excessive hunger, rapid weight loss, and high metabolism. Some reports cite hyperthyroidism as the most accepted modern hypothesis due to these overlapping symptoms.

Other medical explanations have been proposed, including disorders like polyphagia (compulsive eating), parasitic infections, or damage to the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates hunger. These alternatives, however, lack direct evidence.

A table summarizing relevant symptoms:

Symptom Consistent with Hyperthyroidism? Excessive hunger Yes Rapid metabolism Yes Organ abnormalities Partially Unusual eating items No

No single condition fully explains Tarrare’s medical mystery, but hyperthyroidism and neurological disorders remain the most frequently discussed causes.

Sensational and Disturbing Incidents

Tarrare’s actions often crossed boundaries that alarmed both his contemporaries and later historians. His behavior involved contact with human remains and accusations of grave offenses, contributing to his infamy.

Consuming Corpses

Reports from the period describe how Tarrare’s compulsive hunger drove him to the extreme of eating human flesh. In several medical accounts, hospital staff suspected him of devouring corpses from the morgue. Measures such as barring him from the mortuary were enforced after incidents where bodies went missing or showed signs of tampering.

Eyewitnesses claimed to have caught Tarrare lurking near areas where unguarded corpses were kept. Physicians and attendants of the military hospital documented their suspicions in official notes. These events not only shocked those around him, but also raised ethical concerns about patient safety and respect for the dead.

Allegations of Criminal Behavior

Tarrare’s insatiable appetite resulted in allegations that extended beyond disturbing dining habits. He was accused of multiple thefts, especially of food and scraps from kitchens, rubbish bins, and even from other patients’ trays. There were also accusations linking him to missing property at the hospital.

Among the most serious claims were those from parents who believed Tarrare had attempted, or even succeeded, in harming children during his desperate searches for food. These allegations, though never conclusively proven, fueled fear and suspicion. Hospital authorities maintained security protocols and kept Tarrare under observation to mitigate risk and prevent further incidents.

Physical and Behavioral Peculiarities

Tarrare's astonishing physiology and social interactions set him apart in 18th-century France. His uncontrollable bodily functions and personal habits influenced both public perception and his daily life.

Prodigious Flatulence and Powerful Explosions

Tarrare was notorious for the extreme flatulence that frequently followed his massive meals. Witnesses described loud, continuous emissions that were difficult to ignore. Medical attendants and contemporaries reported that the sheer volume and frequency of his gas would fill small rooms with an overpowering odor.

These “powerful explosions,” as some called them, could come at any time, often disrupting conversation and alarming those around him. The origin of this symptom was likely tied to his rapid digestion and the vast quantities of food he consumed, which included rotten meat and live animals.

This flatulence was not just an odd quirk, but a defining aspect of his public persona. It underscored the abnormality of his appetite and digestive process, reinforcing his reputation as a medical mystery and sideshow attraction.

Personal Hygiene and Social Challenges

Tarrare’s insatiable appetite came with severe challenges to personal hygiene. His body often emitted a strong, unpleasant odor, which no amount of basic cleaning could seem to resolve. This persistent smell isolated him socially, as even those familiar with his condition found it difficult to tolerate his presence for long.

His skin was another source of concern. When not distended from eating, it hung in loose folds, contributing to an unusual and sometimes unsettling appearance. Combined with his frequent bouts of sweating, these physical traits contributed to his alienation from society.

Crowds at public exhibitions sometimes recoiled at his proximity. Fellow soldiers and hospital staff frequently lodged complaints, making it clear that his hygiene and the social challenges it caused were significant obstacles in his life.

Decline and Death

Tarrare's later life was marked by worsening health and disturbing incidents. His insatiable appetite, bizarre dietary habits, and eventual decline were closely documented by doctors of his era.

Final Years and Illness

In his final years, Tarrare’s health grew more unstable. Despite efforts from medical professionals to curb his eating habits, he continued to consume nearly anything available, including discarded food, live animals, and even inedible materials.

Reports from hospital staff described instances where Tarrare was suspected of eating human remains, including a rumor that he had consumed a missing toddler during his hospital stay. These accusations intensified concerns about his behavior and condition, leading to his further isolation and frequent medical observation.

Doctors attempted various treatments, including heavy use of purgatives and controlled diets, but nothing succeeded in quelling his appetite. Tarrare's mental and physical state deteriorated, and he became increasingly emaciated despite massive consumption. His health issues reflected both the apparent limits of contemporary medicine and the lack of understanding of such an extreme physiological condition.

Death from Tuberculosis

Tarrare’s life ended in 1798 when he developed severe tuberculosis. Witnesses stated he rapidly became weak, suffered from ongoing diarrhea, and developed a suppurating abscess in his intestines.

After a period of intense illness, he succumbed to the disease at around 26 years old. An autopsy revealed an abnormally wide esophagus and a stomach that stretched from under his ribs to his pelvis, which helped explain his insatiable hunger.

These findings surprised attending physicians and remain unique in medical history. His death from tuberculosis closed the chapter on one of the most mysterious cases of human appetite and left many questions regarding his biology and the potential evolution of such disorders.