Autopsy

[Fr. autopsie: Gr. autopsia, from autos, one's self, and ops is, sight.] Personal observation. - Ap plied to the knowledge which one acquires by ocular observation, in contradistinction to that which is communicated to him by the accounts of others. (Med.) Autopsia cadaveric a, attentive examination after death,-practised for the purpose of investigating the causes and seat of an affection of which a person may have died, or for medico-legal purposes; called, also, Ear am in at i on post-mortem. Auto the'ism, n . (Theol.) The doctrine of God's self existence. (R.) Autrefois-acquit, n . [Fr., formerly acquitted.] ( Law .) A plea made by a defendant indicted for a crime or misdemeanor, that he has formerly been tried and acquitted of the same offence. Autrefois-convict, n. [Fr., formerly convicted.] A plea made by a defendant indicted for a crime or misdemeanor, that he has formerly been tried and convicted of the same. The Constitution of the U. States, Amend. Art. 5, provides that no person shall be subject for the same offence to be put twice in jeopardy of life or limb. - Bou vier. NITE. Autom'ata. See AUTOMATON FIGURES. Autom'atal, a. Automatic. (R.) Auto math, n. [Gr. automat hes , from autos , self, and mathein, man thančin , to learn.] A self-taught person. (R.) Automatic, Automatical, a. [Fr. automat i que .] Belonging to an automaton; self-acting or moving; as, an automatic operation. -Not depending on the will; self-regulating or adjusting, as certain machines; carried on by such machines. Automatic Actions. (Psychol.) A term applied to certain muscular movements which are influenced simply by sensation, and not by the will, as winking. Automatism, n. The power of self-motion; automatic action.