We argue that the environment determines life span, using historical data to show that such indicators of environmental insults in early childhood and young adulthood as quarter of birth, residence, occupation, wealth, and the incidence of specific infectious diseases affected older age...

We use historical data to show that such indicators of insults in early childhood and young adulthood as quarter of birth, residence, occupation, wealth, and the incidence of specific infectious diseases affected older age mortality. We find that the effect of quarter of birth on older age...

Improving early prenatal and postnatal conditions account for at least 16 to 17 percent of the decline in ten year mortality rates of 60-79 year olds between 1900 and 1960-80. Historical trends in early prenatal and postnatal conditions imply that while the baby-boom cohort may be particularly...

We argue that the environment determines life span, using historical data to show that such indicators of environmental insults in early childhood and young adulthood as quarter of birth, residence, occupation, wealth, and the incidence of specific infectious diseases affected older age...