+(defun xml-substitute-numeric-entities (string)
+ "Substitute SGML numeric entities by their respective utf characters.
+This function replaces numeric entities in the input STRING and
+returns the modified string. For example \"*\" gets replaced
+by \"*\"."
+ (if (and string (stringp string))
+ (let ((start 0))
+ (while (string-match "&#\\([0-9]+\\);" string start)
+ (condition-case nil
+ (setq string (replace-match
+ (string (read (substring string
+ (match-beginning 1)
+ (match-end 1))))
+ nil nil string))
+ (error nil))
+ (setq start (1+ (match-beginning 0))))
+ string)
+ nil))
+