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Did tea-drinking cut deaths in the Industrial Revolution?

Could an explosion in tea-drinking explain a decline in deaths in the industrial revolution? Tim Harford dusts down the data.

Could an explosion in tea-drinking explain a decline in deaths in England during the industrial revolution? Professor Francisca Antman, an economist at the University of Colorado Boulder believes it might.

Tim Harford discovers that dusting down the data from tea shipments and local burial records gives us surprising insight into how boiling water for tea accidentally improved public health.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Nathan Gower
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Teapot pouring tea. Credit: Erik Witsoe /Getty images)

Available now

9 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Sat 9 Apr 202204:50GMT
  • Sat 9 Apr 202222:50GMT
  • Sat 9 Apr 202223:50GMT
  • Sun 10 Apr 202200:50GMT
  • Sun 10 Apr 202213:50GMT
  • Sun 10 Apr 202222:50GMT
  • Mon 11 Apr 202209:50GMT

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