Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 25, 2026

Assessing the Coherence of Parents' Short Narratives Regarding their Child Using the Five-Minute Speech Sample Procedure
Published on: September 19, 2019
Watersheds in Child Mortality: The Role of Effective Water and Sewerage Infrastructure, 1880 to 1920
Marcella Alsan1, Claudia Goldin2
1Stanford University and the NBER.
Abstract:
We explore the first period of sustained decline in child mortality in the U.S. and provide estimates of the independent and combined effects of clean water and effective sewerage systems on under-five mortality. Our case is Massachusetts, 1880 to 1920, when authorities developed a sewerage and water district in the Boston area. We find the two interventions were complementary and together account for approximately one-third of the decline in log child mortality during the 41 years. Our findings are relevant to the developing world and suggest that a piecemeal approach to infrastructure investments is unlikely to significantly improve child health.
Related Concept Videos
Role of Water in Human Biology
Water's Solvent Properties
Since water is a polar molecule with slightly positive and slightly negative charges, ions and polar molecules can readily dissolve in it. Therefore, it is referred to as a solvent, a...
Water and Mineral Acquisition
States of Water
Water freezes when the intermolecular forces are greater than the kinetic energy. Unlike most other substances, water is less dense in its solid state than in its liquid state. This is because each water molecule can form...
Quality of Water
Role of Septins
Cellular Functions of Septins
Recent studies have revealed the multifaceted roles of septins in various cellular processes such as cytokinesis, ciliogenesis, and neurogenesis. Septins act as scaffolds and...
The Water Cycle

