Tarrare was one of the strangest medical mysteries of the 18th century: a French showman and soldier whose hunger seemed almost impossible to satisfy. His story moves from the streets of France to military hospitals, wartime espionage, medical experiments, and a final decline that left even the doctors of his age disturbed and baffled.

In this episode of The Pale Lantern, we look at the life of Tarrare with a careful balance of historical detail, medical mystery, and a bit of empathy. Was he simply a grotesque curiosity, or was he a suffering man trapped inside a condition no one in his time could understand?

This is the unsettling true story of Tarrare. The man remembered for an appetite that became legend. Topics covered include: Tarrare’s childhood and early life His time as a street performer His service during the French Rev ...