Climatic Variability and the European Mortality Wave of the Early 1740s

impact of climatic variability on level of mortality among preindustrial populations is examined using example of European mortality wave of early 1740s. The evidence shows that mortality peak of 1740 to 1742 coincided with a period of climatic variability. level of mortality climbed in all thirteen countries of Western Europe during 1740. steepest increase in death rates occurred in Finland location most exposed to harsh continental climatic regime. results also suggest that the differential success in neutralizing potential economic and social hardships engendered by climatic stress influenced demographic outcome more decisively than relative price of food. (EXCERPT)