I believe the overdue book is to do with the use of ephedrine.
Googled and got this: http://www.geocities.com/solarguard/pagan/mummies.html
Thanks Daniel , that may explain why those at that latitude talk so fast .
You could buy that at chemists 'in the old days' - Do-Do's - for night shifts at the loco works, I remember. Have you seen the Googled contextual ads under the Scotsman online article ?