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SURFACE. 716 SURGERY. 1868) ; Salmon, Analytic Geometry of Three Di- mensions (4th ed., Dublin, 1882) ; Smith, An £(6- mentary Treatise on Solid Geometry (3d ed., New York, 1891); Gauss, "Allgemeine Flilchenthe- orie," in Ostwald's Klassiker der cxakten Wisseti- scluiftcn (Leipzig, 1900) ; Knoblauch, Einleitung in die allgemeine Theorie der krummen Fliichen (ib., 1888). For a brief sketch of the history of the subject, consult Smith, "Historj^ of Modern Mathematics," in Merriman and Woodward's Higher Miitticmaties (New York, 1890). SURFACE, Joseph. A sentimental, plausible hypocrite in Sheridan's Sehool for Scandal, Charles's elder brother, who pursued Maria for her fortune. SURFACE TENSION. See Capillarity. SURF-BIRD. A remarkable plover-like bird {Aphriza virgata) widely distributed on the coasts and islands of the Pacific Ocean, and com- mon along the entire west coast of North Amer- ica. It is about nine and a half inches long, dark ashy brown above, white beneath, everywhere more or less spotted, streaked, or barred with hlack. The feet are like those of a sandpiper, but the bill is plover-like, short and thick. The wings are very long and acute, reaching beyond the end of the tail when folded. It is clearly re- lated to the turnstone (q.v. ). SURF DUCK, or Surf Scoter. See Scoter. • SURF-FISH. A fish of the sxiborder Hal- conoti and family Embiotocida>. related to the percoids. Many species occur on the Pacific Coast A SUUF-FISe, THE ALFIONA. of the United States, where they inhabit bays and the surf on sandy beaches. They are small, oval- oblong, compressed, and often very handsome, with stripes, spots, and effusions of various col- ors. Their flesh is not very highly regarded. The fact of greatest interest connected with them is that they are viviparous. One of the largest and most useful of the family is the 'alfiona' (h'liacocliihis toxolcs). SURF SMELT. A small, firm-fleshed, and fat smelt (Hypomesus pretiosiis) of the coast of California and northward, valued as food. It spawns in the surf, and is netted in great quanti- ties. See Plate of Whitefish, Smelts, etc. SURGEON, Military and Naval. Appoint- ments to the medical corps of the United States army or na-.y are made by the President of the United States upon recommendation of candi- dates by the surgeons-general of the nrmy and na'y, and after satisfactorily passing the exam- inations of the respective medical examining boards. Candidates for the army medical service must be between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-nine years; for the navy, between the ages of twenty-one and thirty. A candidate for either service must be a graduate of a regular medical school. Appointees are admitted to the service of the army and navy as assistant sur- geons, with the rank of first lieutenant in the army and lieutenant (junior grade) in the navy. A surgeon in the army has the rank of major, and is required to have been an assistant sur- geon at least five years. A surgeon in the navy has the rank of lieutenant and must have been an assistant surgeon for two years. Prior to regular assignment. United States army surgeons go through a five niontlis' course at the Army Medical Museum, Washington, D. C. The Royal Army Medical Corps of Great Britain differs from the United States in that it is a distinct branch of the service; the sur- geons and enlisted men use the same distinguish- ing titles of rank as the combatant arms, and the ofiicers prefix the word surgeon before the rank. They are luider their own headquarters organization, and are rarely, even indirectly, sub- ject to the authority of commanding officers of other branches. Members of the corps are armed and trained for military as well as medical emergencies. The Sanitary Corps of Germany and France are on similar lines to the United States, differing principally in the details due to general army organization. See Surgery, Military; Army Organization; Hospital; Hospital Corps. SURGEON-FISH (so called from the lancet- shaped spine), or Sea-Surgeon. One of a family (Teuthididae) of tropical Oriental fishes, of which about 80 species are recognized, and which feed upon seaweeds. Those best known arc of the genus Teuthis, called 'barbcro^,,' 'lancet-fishes,' SURGEON-FISH. a, position of the lancet and its sheath. 'tangs,' and so on, and characterized by the pos- session of a long, sharp, lancet-like spine on each side of the caudal peduncle. The spine is movable and shuts into a groove along the side of the tail. SURGERY (OF. cirurgerie, cirurgie, sirurgie, Fr. ciiirtirgic, surgery, from OF. eirurgien, serur- gien, Fr. chirurgien, surgeon, from Lat. chirur- gns, from Ok. x^ipovp-ySsj cheirourgos, surgeon, handicraftsman, from x^'p, cheir, hand -|- epyov, ergon, work ) . In contradistinction to medicine surgery embraces a consideration of those disease conditions that are treated chiefly by mechanical methods rather than liy the ad- ministration of drugs. This classification is nat- urally arbitrary: and now that the dangers of surgical operations have so materially dimin- ished, diseases formerly looked upon as hopeless or as suitable for medical treatment only are included among the surgical affections. It is