Was Tarrare, the man who ate anything, real?

Question

I have been hearing about this dude a lot recently, I want to know if this is true.

Answer 1

According to multiple accounts, Tarrare was a real man with an interesting and unique life story. Born in rural Lyon outside France in 1772, Tarrare had a bizarre appetite that left him constantly hungry and unsatisfied with what he ate. Records show that by the age of 17, Tarrare would eat the equivalent of half a cow in food each day. Soon, his appetite grew more concerning as he ate live animals and inanimate objects. 

https://www.historydefined.net/life-of-tarrare/

A likely explanation of Tarrare's bizarre eating pattern was polyphagia caused by a severe case of hyperthyroidism. Tarrare most likely suffered from an overactive thyroid. 

https://www.historydefined.net/life-of-tarrare/

Here's an illustration of what Tarrare would have looked like. 

Comments

Thanks for a detailed explanation that provides some information for readers who do not know anything about Tarrare. When you say "according to multiple accounts," who or what do you mean? You've provided only once source so it might seem that it is according to one account or source.

Answer 2

Yes, he was a real person according to several sources. The sources have traced his birthdate and place, as well as his unusual eating habits. I've linked the sources below.

https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/tarrare/

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161014-the-man-who-couldnt-stop-eating

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYHDj2sB-rc

Comments

I liked how you added multiple sources to prove your point. To strengthen your argument, it would be beneficial to explain or pick out quotes from the sources.

Answer 3

According to this article, he was. It also covers just how tragic his life was. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161014-the-man-who-couldnt-stop-eating

Answer 4

I had never heard about this until I looked it up. Honestly, it is a really interesting story with no-real scientific explanation. It is kind of a sad story. According to sources, he was disowned by his parents, became a pickpocket, and lived was generally a very depressed man. 

Tarrare Ate It All | HowStuffWorks

Tarrare, the Greatest Glutton of All Time | Mental Floss

Answer 5

According to multiple sources, Tarrare was in fact a real person.

All of the sources I checked detail his birthplace, eating habits from a young age, and how these habits tragically affected his adulthood:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20161014-the-man-who-couldnt-stop-eating

https://allthatsinteresting.com/tarrare

Here is are two articles that explain his diagnosis and the effects overeating has on his body:

https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/tarrare/

https://www.historydefined.net/life-of-tarrare/

Answer 6

According to Wikipedia and other articles that can be found online, Tarrare was indeed a real person and he joined French Revolutionary Army.

"General Alexandre de Beauharnais decided to put Tarrare's abilities to military use, and employed him as a courier for the French army, with the intention that he would swallow documents, pass through enemy lines, and recover them from his stool once safely at his destination. Tarrare could not speak German, and on his first mission, he was captured by Prussian forces, severely beaten, and subjected to a mock execution before being returned to French lines."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarrare

https://allthatsinteresting.com/tarrare

Comments

I like that you provided a detailed explanation. However, going forward, please try to find stronger sources. Wikipedia is not the most reliable source.