Tarrare, the Man-Eater

Yeah, Tarrare was an incredibly bizarre case. It's said that even after eating his fill, his stomach would be clearly distended. But the weirdest part is his involvement with the military. Imagine the trust they must've had in his digestive fortitude to have him swallow documents for transport. The story where he possibly ate a toddler always creeped me out, though.

Sounds like a tall tale to me. His condition was likely some medical issue we'd diagnose easily now. People back then loved to exaggerate these 'freaks of nature' stories.

I've read about him! Did you know after his death, an autopsy revealed his gullet was so wide surgeons could look straight into his stomach? His body was found to be full of pus, his liver and gallbladder were abnormally large, and he had a stomach that was massive and filled almost his entire abdominal cavity. Super gross but fascinating, right?

Tarrare's diet puts anyone's cheat day to shame LOL. But seriously, his condition is kinda tragic when you think about it. Imagine being that hungry all the time.

Tarrare was the OG food competition champ. He'd wreck those hot dog eating contests. 😂

Stories about Tarrare are wild. They say he'd eat leftovers from gutters and rubbish heaps, and when in hospital, he would sneak into the apothecary's room to eat poultices. Hospitals even had to reinforce their morgue security because he'd go there... for snacks. 🤢

first time hearing about this guy and OMG, did you guys know he would eat meals meant for 15 people in a single sitting? Insane!

What do you reckon led to Tarrare's death? I read theories ranging from tuberculosis to an intestinal obstruction. To think that with modern science, we might've helped a person like him.