Reading a non-standard floating point format

[Fidtz]

I'm trying to do a database extraction program. Part of this is
reading a large number of files with a 48bit floating point format
that I think from the definition and searching on google, is unlike
any on any other system (at least current ones anyway).

While I think I can see the way to do this with various bit-grubbing
techniques, the potential for error is massive, esp considering my non
comp-sci background.

Does anyone know of a library in python or even (fairly) easily
wrappable C that might let me specify the format in a more high level
way?

Dominic