Unconscious Baptism?

"For a long time my [adult] friend suffered from a high fever and lay unconscious in a sweat that looked like death. When they despaired of his recovery, he was baptized. He knew nothing of this himself, and I paid little attention to the fact of his baptism. I assumed that his soul... would not be affected by something done to his body while he was unconscious. But it turned out very differently." (The Confessions of St. Augustine, Book IV, Chapter 4)

What do think of this?

Given the historical view of baptism remitting sins in and of its self I think Augustine acted properly in this situation. However I wouldn't say it is a good rule to go by.

Here is what Aquinas had to say about it in his Summa Theologica the section on baptism


Objection 3: Further, the use of reason is suspended in madmen and imbeciles more than it is in one who sleeps. But it is not customary to baptize people while they sleep. Therefore it should not be given to madmen and imbeciles.
On the contrary, Augustine says (Confess. iv) of his friend that "he was baptized when his recovery was despaired of": and yet Baptism was efficacious with him. Therefore Baptism should sometimes be given to those who lack the use of reason.

Reply to Objection 3: A person should not be baptized while asleep, except he be threatened with the danger of death. In which case he should be baptized, if previously he has manifested a desire to receive Baptism, as we have stated in reference to imbeciles: thus Augustine relates of his friend that "he was baptized while unconscious," because he was in danger of death (Confess. iv).