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Born in smog: immediate and persistent health consequences of acute air pollution exposure in historical London, 1892–1919

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  • Schneider, Eric B.

Abstract

This paper examines how acute pollution exposure in historical London (1892–1919) affected child health. I proxy acute, extreme pollution exposure using daily data on fog events, which reflect meteorological conditions where pollution emitted in the city was not dispersed across space leading to a sharp spike in pollution. I also use rich individual-level data on child health drawn from the Queen Charlotte Hospital, a maternity hospital, and the Foundling Hospital, an orphanage. I find no effect of pollution exposure at birth on birth or growth outcomes or on upper respiratory morbidity. However, exposure on the day of birth had persistent effects on health, increasing mortality risk in childhood and adolescence from respiratory diseases and raising incidence, prevalence and sickness duration of influenza and measles. There was no persistent effect of in utero and postnatal pollution exposures. These mixed results show that extreme pollution at birth had lasting impacts on specific, but also limited, dimensions of child health.

Suggested Citation

  • Schneider, Eric B., 2026. "Born in smog: immediate and persistent health consequences of acute air pollution exposure in historical London, 1892–1919," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 140269, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:140269
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    File URL: https://researchonline.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/140269/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Clay, Karen & Lewis, Joshua & Severnini, Edson, 2018. "Pollution, Infectious Disease, and Mortality: Evidence from the 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 78(4), pages 1179-1209, December.
    2. Arthi, Vellore & Schneider, Eric B., 2021. "Infant feeding and post-weaning health: Evidence from turn-of-the-century London," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 43(C).
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    JEL classification:

    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • Q53 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Air Pollution; Water Pollution; Noise; Hazardous Waste; Solid Waste; Recycling

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