Abstract: An improvement is provided in a method for carrying out laparoscopic surgery on an intestine of a patient. The improvement includes establishing discrete magnetic zones within the intestine by having the patient ingest a magnetic medium. An electromagnetic field which can be focused and translated around the patient is induced by means of a particularly-described electromagnet. Poles of the magnetic medium which is within the intestine is attracted to a pole of the electromagnet. The intestine is manipulated by suspension, or retraction, or lengthwise translation of the entire intestine which in a segment-by-segment fashion by the essential step of selectively focusing and translating the electromagnetic field by way of manipulation of said upper electromagnet pole.

Abstract: A novel operating table system is provided herein. The operating table system includes a table formed of non-magnetic material. A support is provided for such table. Magnetic means are provided for applying a magnetic field around a defined area of the table. The magnetic means includes one pole below the table and a second pole disposed a selected spaced-distance above the table. The second pole includes controls for selectively focusing and translating the electromagnetic field by way of manipulation of the second pole.

Abstract: Essentially solid carbonaceous material such as coal is rapidly converted to a high percentage of liquid hydrocarbon products by first reacting said material with an acid to form carbon addition products which then are reacted with a Group V halide ion-acceptor system (super-acid system), the acid content of which is greater than the Group V halide content, and thereafter with a hydrogen donor source. All phases of the process may be carried out at atmospheric pressure and relatively low temperatures, thus making said process far more economical than known coal liquification processes.