Intrepid comic book reporter Tintin, who began his adventures 75 years ago, looks like a young teen because of a growth hormone deficiency and the effects of too many blows to the head, according to a study released on Tuesday.
”This could explain his delayed natural growth, delayed onset of puberty and lack of libido”, reads the study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
The study was written by Claude Cyr, a pediatrician at the University of Sherbrooke in Quebec, with help from two experts — his sons Antoine (five) and Louis-Olivier (seven).
”We hypothesize that Tintin has growth hormone deficiency and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism from repeated trauma,” the study reads.
The researchers ”identified 50 significant losses of consciousness in 16 of Tintin’s 23 books”, the report reads.
”Of these, 43 incidents involved head trauma with loss of consciousness representing grade three concussions. Tintin sustained 26 concussions resulting from a blow with a blunt object.”
Tintin lost conciousness eight times after being hit with a club, four times after explosions, three times after being shot, three times after being poisoned with chloroform, three times after car accidents, twice by falling and once due to mild dehydration, according to the researchers.
In the books, authored by Belgian author Herge (Georges Remi), Tintin never shaves, never grows taller and does not ”exhibit signs of pubertal development”, according to the report.
Tintin first appeared in print on January 10, 1929, in a children’s supplement to the Brussels newspaper Le Vingtieme Siecle.
The lavishly drawn books have been translated into more than 60 languages and sold more than 200-million copies around the world.
The boy with the cowlick hair, helped by his faithful dog, Snowy, and the foul-tempered Captain Haddock, battled drug-runners, mad scientists, spies, Latin-American guerrillas and myriad of shady characters.
His last completed adventure appeared in 1976. – Sapa-AFP