Tea saved the English in the 18th century

New research by British economics professor Francesca Antman shows that the widespread use of tea in England at the end of the 18th century was not only fundamental to the development of national culture, but also literally saved human lives.
In 1784, a special tea law drastically reduced the tax on tea from 119% to 12.5%, and very soon even peasants were drinking two cups a day, and tea imports increased sixfold between 1761 and 1834. does a cup of tea need anything but herbs? Boiling water, which (given the fact that at the time it was still unclear how widely water spread disease) meant much healthier water in an era long before the advent of sewage in the 19th century. Also, tea was cheaper than beer, the other source of disease-free hydration.
Over the same period, the death rate decreased from 28 to 23 people per 1,000 people. The role of tea imports is confirmed by the decline in deaths from waterborne diseases (e.g. dysentery) rather than airborne (e.g. tuberculosis). Improvements were also greatest in areas with poorer water quality. It had both economic and health benefits, allowing for the clustering of people (and their...waste) into the cities of the Industrial Revolution.
All this happened by chance, at a period when public health was in its infancy. /BGNES