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Sewers’ diffusion and the decline of mortality: The case of Paris, 1880–1914

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  • Kesztenbaum, Lionel
  • Rosenthal, Jean-Laurent

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Kesztenbaum, Lionel & Rosenthal, Jean-Laurent, 2017. "Sewers’ diffusion and the decline of mortality: The case of Paris, 1880–1914," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 174-186.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:juecon:v:98:y:2017:i:c:p:174-186
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jue.2016.03.001
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    1. D. Mark Anderson & Daniel I. Rees & Tianyi Wang, 2019. "The Phenomenon of Summer Diarrhea and its Waning, 1910-1930," NBER Working Papers 25689, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Florian Bonnet & Hippolyte d'Albis, 2020. "Spatial Inequality in Mortality in France over the Past Two Centuries," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 46(1), pages 145-168, March.
    3. Gabriella Conti & Giacomo Mason & Stavros Poupakis, 2019. "Developmental Origins of Health Inequality," Working Papers 2019-041, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Batinti, Alberto & Costa-Font, Joan & Hatton, Timothy J., 2019. "Voting Up? The Effects of Democracy and Franchise Extension on Human Stature," IZA Discussion Papers 12389, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Knutsson, Daniel, 2020. "The Effect of Water Filtration on Cholera Mortality," Working Paper Series 1346, Research Institute of Industrial Economics.
    6. Daniel Gallardo‐Albarrán, 2020. "Sanitary infrastructures and the decline of mortality in Germany, 1877–1913," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 73(3), pages 730-757, August.
    7. Inoue, Tatsuki & Ogasawara, Kota, 2020. "Chain effects of clean water: The Mills–Reincke phenomenon in early 20th-century Japan," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 36(C).
    8. Kota Ogasawara & Yukitoshi Matsushita, 2019. "Heterogeneous treatment effects of safe water on infectious disease: Do meteorological factors matter?," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 13(1), pages 55-82, January.
    9. Anderson, D. Mark & Rees, Daniel I. & Wang, Tianyi, 2019. "The Phenomenon of Summer Diarrhea and Its Waning, 1910-1930," IZA Discussion Papers 12232, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Batinti, Alberto & Costa-Font, Joan & Hatton, Timothy J., 2019. "Voting Up? The Effects of Democracy and Franchise Extension on Human Stature," IZA Discussion Papers 12389, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Anderson, D. Mark & Rees, Daniel I. & Wang, Tianyi, 2020. "The phenomenon of summer diarrhea and its waning, 1910-1930⁎," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    12. Anderson, D. Mark & Charles, Kerwin Kofi & Rees, Daniel I., 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 11773, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. D. Mark Anderson & Kerwin Kofi Charles & Daniel I. Rees, 2018. "Public Health Efforts and the Decline in Urban Mortality," NBER Working Papers 25027, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Kim Andersson & Sarah Dickin & Arno Rosemarin, 2016. "Towards “Sustainable” Sanitation: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, Open Access Journal, vol. 8(12), pages 1-14, December.
    15. Jonathan Chapman, 2019. "The contribution of infrastructure investment to Britain's urban mortality decline, 1861–1900," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 72(1), pages 233-259, February.
    16. Kota Ogasawara & Shinichiro Shirota & Genya Kobayashi, 2018. "Public health improvements and mortality in interwar Tokyo: a Bayesian disease mapping approach," Cliometrica, Springer;Cliometric Society (Association Francaise de Cliométrie), vol. 12(1), pages 1-31, January.
    17. Ogasawara, Kota & Matsushita, Yukitoshi, 2018. "Public health and multiple-phase mortality decline: Evidence from industrializing Japan," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 198-210.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Differential mortality; Wealth; Urbanization; Paris; Sanitation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • N93 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Europe: Pre-1913

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