Military service Tarrare

baron percy

courville , percy decided test tarrare s capacity food. meal had been prepared 15 labourers near hospital gates; although hospital staff restrained tarrare in presence of food, on occasion courville allowed him reach table undisturbed. tarrare ate entire meal of 2 large meat pies, plates of grease , salt , 4 gallons of milk, , fell asleep; courville noted tarrare s belly became taut , inflated large balloon. on occasion tarrare presented live cat. tore cat s abdomen open teeth , drank blood, , proceeded eat entire cat aside bones, before vomiting fur , skin. following this, hospital staff offered tarrare variety of other animals including snakes, lizards , puppies, of eaten; swallowed entire eel without chewing, having first crushed head teeth.

service military courier

after several months spent experimental case, military authorities began press tarrare returned active duty. dr. courville keen continue investigations tarrare s eating habits , digestive system, , approached general alexandre de beauharnais suggestion tarrare s unusual abilities , behaviour put military use. document placed inside wooden box in turn fed tarrare. 2 days later, box retrieved excrement, document still in legible condition. courville proposed de beauharnais tarrare serve military courier, carrying documents securely through enemy territory no risk of being found if searched.

tarrare called on beauharnais demonstrate abilities before gathering of commanders of army of rhine. having swallowed box successfully, tarrare given wheelbarrow filled 30 pounds (14 kg) of raw bull s lungs , liver reward, ate in front of assembled generals.

following successful demonstration, tarrare became employed officially spy of army of rhine. although general de beauharnais convinced of tarrare s physical capacity carry messages internally, concerned mental state , reluctant entrust him significant military documents. tarrare ordered first assignment carry message french colonel imprisoned prussians near neustadt; told documents of great military significance, in reality de beauharnais had merely written note asking colonel confirm message had been received successfully, , if return reply of potentially useful information prussian troop movements.

tarrare crossed prussian lines under cover of darkness, disguised german peasant. unable speak german, attracted attention of local residents, alerted prussian authorities, , captured outside landau. strip search found nothing suspicious on person, , despite being whipped prussian soldiers, refused betray mission. brought before local prussian commander, general zoegli, again refused talk , imprisoned. after 24 hours of captivity, tarrare relented , explained scheme captors. chained latrine, , eventually, 30 hours after being swallowed, wooden box emerged. zoegli furious when documents, tarrare had said contained vital intelligence, transpired de beauharnais s dummy message, , tarrare taken gallows , noose placed around neck. (some sources state zoegli never retrieved box, tarrare had presence of mind recover , eat stool containing before seized prussians.) @ last minute, zoegli relented, , tarrare taken down scaffold, given severe beating, , released near french lines.

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