in medicine, a general name for such medicines as weaken the powers of nature, such as blood-letting, cooling salts, purgatives, &c.

SE DEFENDENDO, in law, a plea used for him that is charged with the death of another, by alleging that he was under a necessity of doing what he did in his own defence; so that the other assaulted him in such a manner, that if he had not done what he did, he must have been in hazard of his own life. See HOMICIDE and MURDER.