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For Want of a Cup: The Rise of Tea in England and the Impact of Water Quality on Mortality

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  • Antman, Francisca M.

    (University of Colorado, Boulder)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Antman, Francisca M., 2022. "For Want of a Cup: The Rise of Tea in England and the Impact of Water Quality on Mortality," IZA Discussion Papers 15016, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp15016
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kabeer Bora, 2023. "Importing sobrie'tea': Understanding the tea trade during the Industrial Revolution," Working Paper Series, Department of Economics, University of Utah 2023_06, University of Utah, Department of Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Industrial Revolution; water quality; tea; mortality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • N33 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Europe: Pre-1913
    • I15 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Economic Development
    • Q25 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Renewable Resources and Conservation - - - Water
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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