Human Monster

MOSTRO UMANO. - An individual who presents one or more anomalies such as to render him gravely aberrant from normality (v. TERATOLOGIA). Human monsters concern moral theology in two matters, one of which need only be touched upon briefly, while the other requires more thorough examination.

I. Right to life in the human monster

To the question whether it is licit to diminish the chances of life or even to kill deformed newborns, the answer is negative, because the divine precept ne occidas, which safeguards the primary and fundamental right to life, applies to every human being, even one whose possession of human life is doubtful (v. ABORTO). Consequently, in cases of monstrosity in which the existence of two living individuals is presumed, an intervention that suppresses one of them is illicit. This remains true even in cases in which the duality of the persons is doubtful, as in the case of the autossite and the parasite. Only when the parasite is reduced to a simple mass or to some limbs is amputation licit, since the unity of the person of the human monster is then certain.

II. Baptism of human monsters

On the basis of the CIC, can. 748, two cases must be distinguished: 1) simple human monsters may raise doubts concerning the existence of human life, as in the case of the cardiac monster. If human life is certain, Baptism is to be administered absolutely; in doubt, however, Baptism must be administered conditionally: «if you are a human being». The contrary opinion of certain theologians or moralists who would exclude cardiac monsters from Baptism because they lack organs essential to human life (cf. B. H. Merkelbach, op. cit. in bibl.) is not to be followed in practice. This should instead be done when the product of the birth consists of an amorphous fleshy mass (which moralists call a «mola»), although here too it is necessary first to ascertain diligently whether a true human fetus is concealed within the fleshy mass. 2) Double and multiple monstrosities may give rise to doubt as to whether there is one person or several persons. If the human monsters have duplicated heads and chests, with only the lower part of the body remaining common, the plurality of persons is clear, and the individual components of the monstrous whole are to be baptized absolutely. If the human monsters have duplicated only the chest or the head, the plurality is doubtful, and one of the components is then to be baptized absolutely, the others conditionally. 3) Physicians and midwives, and anyone who by virtue of his office is aware of the existence of a human monster in a particular family, are bound by professional secrecy. Others, at least out of a duty of charity, must not spread the news, since the distress it would cause the family is readily apparent.