Abstract: A combination and method for treatment and metaphylaxis of urate and mixed urate lithiasis is disclosed. The active component of the invention is a non-ionogenic surfactant of the formula R-COO(CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n H, wherein R is linolic acid, linolenic acid, or oleinic acid, and n is a number from 18 to 40. The active component forms a complex water-soluble compound with uric acis, thereby dissolving urate calculi and eliminating uric acid from the urine. The invention exhibits rapid and reliable therapeutic effect, without side effects, and without reliance on maintenance of urine pH.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated coating of graphite electrodes comprises a carriage shiftable parallel to the coating apparatus between a station in which the graphite electrode is preheated and a station in which the preheated electrode is positioned opposite the coating station onto which the electrode is then gripped between a pair of contacts and rotated at variable speeds while all of the coating and surfaces treatment tools on a carriage flanking the electrode are brought into play successively by reciprocation of the tool carriage alongside the electrode.