David M. Cutler|Grant Miller
The role of public health improvements in health advances: The twentieth-century United States
Harvard University|National Bureau of Economic Research|Harvard University
mortality rates united states fell rapidly late nineteenth early twentieth centuries period american history decline coincided epidemiological transition disappearance mortality penalty associated living urban areas little empirical evidence much unresolved debate caused improvements however article report causal influence clean water technologiesfiltration chlorinationon mortality major cities early twentieth century plausibly exogenous variation timing location technology adoption used identify effects validity identifying assumption examined detail found clean water responsible nearly half total mortality reduction major cities three quarters infant mortality reduction nearly two thirds child mortality reduction rough calculations suggest social rate return technologies greater 23 1 cost per personyear saved clean water dollar 500 2003 dollars implications developing countries briefly considered