Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

smoldering leukemia
See 
leukemia, smoldering.
smooth muscle
Along with skeletal and cardiac
muscle, one of the types of muscle tissue in the
body. Smooth muscle generally forms the support-
ing tissue of blood vessels and hollow internal
organs, such as the stomach, intestine, and bladder.
It is considered smooth because it does not have the
microscopic lines (the striations) seen in the other
two types of muscle.
snake stick
See 
Aesculapius.
snakebite
The bite of a snake, whether poison-
ous or not. Most snakes are not poisonous, but their
bites can nonetheless cause painful puncture
wounds that require treatment. If a snakebite victim
knows a snake was poisonous, or if the person did
not see or recognize the snake, he or she should
immediately seek emergency treatment. The
affected part should be kept immobile and below
the level of the heart, and the bite victim should be
taken to the nearest hospital. A tourniquet or band-
age should not be used on a snakebite, and no one
should attempt to suction out the wound by mouth.
Treatment involves use of antivenom and care for
the puncture wound itself and any symptoms that
emerge, such as respiratory distress. See also 
rat-
tlesnake bite.
Snellen chart
See 
chart, Snellen.
snoring
A sound created by vibrations of the
uvula and soft palate during sleep. During normal
breathing, air passing through the throat en route to
the lungs travels by the tongue, soft palate, uvula,
and tonsils. When a person is awake, the muscles in
the back of the throat tighten to hold these struc-
tures in place and prevent them from collapsing and
vibrating in the airway. Sometimes snoring can be a
sign of obstructive sleep apnea or have repairable
physical causes, in which case treatment may be
necessary. Otherwise, patients who snore may want
to try different sleep positions, nose clips, or similar
steps to prevent unwanted snoring. See also 
sleep
apnea, obstructive; somnoplasty.