Urbanization and mortality in Britain, c. 1800-50

Area of Science:

• Historical epidemiology
• Social history
• Demographic history

Background:

• Debate on living standards during the Industrial Revolution.
• Pessimistic views link urban health decline to "biological standard of living".
• Focus on urbanization's impact on epidemiological trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine mortality increases in industrial towns (c. 1830-50).
• Investigate geographical and temporal patterns of mortality.
• Assess the role of scarlet fever in child mortality.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of mortality data.
• Inclusion of British, European, and American cities.
• Inclusion of selected rural populations.

Main Results:

• Widespread mortality increases observed in the second quarter of the 19th century.
• Mortality rise not limited to industrial or new towns.
• Heightened mortality, especially among 1-4 year olds, occurred widely.
• Mortality pattern coincided with scarlet fever virulence changes (c. 1830-1870).

Conclusions:

• Supports claims of worsened child mortality in the mid-19th century.
• Finds mortality increases were more geographically widespread than previously argued.
• Suggests the phenomenon was less severe and chronologically concentrated than previously thought.