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Hidden Costs of the Great London Smog: Evidence from Missing Births

Author

Listed:
  • Alastair Ball

    (Birkbeck, University of London)

Abstract

This article measures the effect of the Great London Smog on fetal loss by testing for missing births in the subsequent nine months, using newly available data. Results show the five day smog resulted in a 3.5% reduction in the size of the cohort affected in the third trimester, and a 1.5% reduction in the size of the cohort affected in their first trimester.

Suggested Citation

  • Alastair Ball, 2018. "Hidden Costs of the Great London Smog: Evidence from Missing Births," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 38(4), pages 1823-1830.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebl:ecbull:eb-18-00224
    as

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    File URL: http://www.accessecon.com/Pubs/EB/2018/Volume38/EB-18-V38-I4-P169.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Sanders, Nicholas J. & Stoecker, Charles, 2015. "Where have all the young men gone? Using sex ratios to measure fetal death rates," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 30-45.
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    7. Walker Hanlon, 2018. "London fog: A century of pollution and mortality, 1866-1965," Working Papers 18019, Economic History Society.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Great London Smog; Pollution; Stillbirths; Missing Births;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • N3 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy

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