Published March 2017
| public
Journal Article
Sewers' diffusion and the decline of mortality: The case of Paris, 1880–1914
Abstract
It is common to argue that water infrastructure innovations improve life expectancy. Yet the benefits of clean water depend on a mechanism to dispose of waste water. We draw on the historical experience of a large industrial city to estimate the impact of the spread of the sewer system. Using a longitudinal data set on mortality and rents for each of Paris' 80 neighborhoods we show that sanitation contributed several years to life expectancy. These results point out the multiplicity of infrastructure needed to help decrease mortality.
Additional Information
© 2016 Elsevier Inc. Received 8 July 2014, Revised 11 February 2016, Accepted 6 March 2016, Available online 26 March 2016. The authors would like to thank Leah Brooks, David Canning, Jonathan Chapman, Tracy Dennison, Edward Glaeser, Timothy Guinnane, Philip Hoffman, Samantha Myers, Jim Oeppen, Paul Rhode, Paula Scott, William Summerhill and the participants at seminars at All-UC Huntington conference, INED, Michigan, PAA annual conference, PSE, Stanford, UCLA, Université Paris-Dauphine, University of Pennsylvania and Yale for helpful comments.Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 77045
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20170428-083320712
- Created
-
2017-04-28Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2021-11-15Created from EPrint's last_modified field