Case XLVI: Use of the Stomach Pump and the Natural Fast

Case.—Father John is directed by his physician to wash out his stomach every morning. Father John is worried and asks:

Questions.—1. How long after saying Mass must I wait before washing out my stomach?

2. May it be done before Mass?

Solution.—1. Regarding the first question there may be cited St. Alphonsus, who, in his Theologia Moralis (Lib. VI. n. 225) writes: “It is certain among all that, at least within the space of an hour, the species are changed in everyone. Tamburini rightly observes, however, that according to the quality of the stomach—as it is warmer or cooler, stronger or weaker—the species are consumed. Moreover, speaking generally, Lugo reports that several physicians consulted by him at Rome thought that in a layman the species are corrupted within a minute, and in a priest within half a quarter of an hour; Bernal, cited by Croix, approves both. Indeed, Arriaga, cited there, judges that in a layman they are consumed within five Our Fathers and Hail Marys, and in a priest after he has removed his vestments. Lugo holds it as certain that at least after a quarter of an hour from Communion the species are consumed even in a priest, and Croix agrees with respect to those in health.” However, modern physicians are holding a quite different view. There are those who declare that even in a healthy stomach the sacred species remain intact for half an hour, while in the case of certain ailments particles of the host may be found in the stomach even after three hours. How slowly digestion progresses in a sick stomach, may in our days be demonstrated by X-rays. It has been established that food which should normally have disappeared from the stomach in six hours, was still there after fully forty-eight hours. Therefore, a priest suffering from stomach trouble would have to wait, after saying Mass, for quite some time before washing out his stomach. The question arises then if this might be done before Mass, and this may be done, as we are about to show.

2. Washing out the stomach before Mass is permissible, even if a little water should stay in it. As the reason Moralists state that at least nothing has been taken per modum potationis: “Even if someone were to introduce water into the stomach by means of a gastric pump (commonly called a stomach pump), intending to eject it by the same pump because he introduced it to wash the stomach, the fast would not thereby be violated. For he neither eats nor drinks,” writes Ojetti (Synopsis Rerum Moralium II. 3. n. 2344, p. 2158, article Jeiunium). Lehmkuhl disposes of the case by a brief remark, but thereby touches upon other circumstances, by saying: “Many also judge that the Eucharistic fast is not broken by one who washes the stomach by means of a tube; care must nevertheless be taken that the tube is not smeared with oil” (Theologia Moralis II. p. 125). For this he quotes other authorities, such as Noldin, and of this author’s work the seventh edition; in the tenth and eleventh editions, that appeared in the interim, Noldin has somewhat changed his opinion and now writes: “One who draws in water by means of some instrument to rinse the stomach and casts it out again nevertheless remains fasting, even if a small part of the water remains in the stomach, because nothing is taken by swallowing in the manner of drink. Indeed, as it seems, it is lawful to insert into the stomach the instrument’s tube smeared with oil without breaking the fast” (III. n. 149). In former editions, the sixth for instance, there it was stated, “But it is not lawful to insert into the stomach the instrument’s tube smeared with oil; for in this way it can scarcely happen without oil being swallowed in the manner of drink.” For the probability of the opinion that the jejunium naturale is not broken by washing out the stomach, Ojetti advances another argument. The S. C. U. I., on April 23, 1890, granted to a priest, with the Pope’s approval, the permission that before Mass he might use a gastric pump to wash the stomach. This permission was granted because only the privilege had been sought, not a theoretical decision of the question. Since, however, a priest is hardly ever allowed to celebrate Mass non jejunus, this permission shows that the S. C. U. I. considers the jejunium naturale not violated by washing out the stomach.