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The Bizarre Story of Tarrare, The Hungriest Human in History
He ate the equivalent of a quarter of a cow a day
Tarrare, if that is even his real name, was born in Lyon, France, around 1772. The details of his childhood aren’t very well known, but everyone at that time knew a lot about his eating habits.
Tarrare always had a huge appetite, and by his teens was able to devour a quarter of a cow a day. Parents of growing teenagers know that keeping them fed is a feat in itself, but Tarrare’s case was extreme. He required so much food that his parents simply could not afford to feed him. Sadly, they had to make him leave their own and fend for himself.
He began roaming France with a troop of thieves and sex workers, only surviving by stealing and begging for food. He eventually met up with a traveling charlatan and became his warm-up act. He would baffle crowds by swallowing corks, stones, and even…live animals. He would graphically “eat” live cats and dogs and even swallowed a whole live eel.
At 17 years old, Tarrare only weighed 100 pounds. His skin stretched in a way that would resemble the 1970s toy, Stretch Armstrong, to allow for all of the food that made its way to his stomach. His middle region would expand like a balloon when filled, and when he went #2, he would leave behind an…
