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Mold Poisoning and Population Growth in England and France, 1750–1850

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2009

Mary Kilbourne Matossian
Mary Kilbourne Matossian
Affiliation:
The author is Associate Professor of European Social History at the University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742.
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Abstract

Climatic and dietary changes may have reduced the incidence of mold poisoning in England and France, 1750–1850, thereby stimulating fertility and reducing mortality. Because mold poisons developed in cereals, the staff of life was often the scepter of death. When people ate less rye and more wheat or less wheat and more potatoes, even without increasing their caloric intake or improving their nutrient balance, their chances of survival improved.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Economic History , Volume 44 , Issue 3 , September 1984 , pp. 669 - 686
Copyright
Copyright © The Economic History Association 1984

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