Secular Trends in Mortality in the Connecticut Valley, 1700-1850

Mortality levels for historical communities of the middle Connecticut Valley in western Massachusetts are reported. The rapidly growing settlements experienced an increase in death rates, although mortality levels remained below contemporary European and American urban rates. Elements of the cause-of-death structure include gastroenteritis and pulmonary tuberculosis. It is suggested that events of childhood mortality have far reaching effects on adult longevity in these agricultural communities