Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/250677 
Year of Publication: 
2022
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 15016
Publisher: 
Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
This paper explores the impact of water quality on mortality by exploiting a natural experiment. the rise of tea consumption in 18th century England. This resulted in an unintentional increase in consumption of boiled water, thereby reducing mortality rates. The methodology uses two identication strategies tying areas with lower initial water quality to larger declines in mortality rates after tea drinking became widespread and following larger volumes of tea imports. Results are robust to the inclusion of controls for income and access to trade. The hypothesis is further bolstered by suggestive evidence from cause-specific deaths and early childhood mortality.
Subjects: 
tea
water quality
mortality
Industrial Revolution
JEL: 
N33
I15
Q25
Q56
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
720.12 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.