Life expectancy
Average life expectancy at birth for English people in the late 16th and early 17th centuries was just under 40 – 39.7 years. However, this low figure was mostly due to the high rate of infant and child mortality; over 12% of all children born would die in their first year. With the hazards of infancy behind them, the death rate for children slowed but continued to occur. A cumulative total of 36% of children died before the age of six, and another 24% between the ages of seven and sixteen. In all, of 100 live births, 60 would die before the age of 16. A man or woman who reached the age of 30 could expect to live to 59. [Thomson Gale, 'Infant Mortality' (1998)]
Food shortages and insecurity were leading concerns in the 18th century, especially in Europe, and these were exacerbated by reduced harvests yields. Disease was another leading cause of death, with rats and fleas being the common carriers of disease, specifically plagues, during this era. Common diseases were dysentery, malaria, diphtheria, flu, typhoid, smallpox and leprosy. (Wikipedia)
Document related to Scholl infant:
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| Scholl infant birth 16 Nov 1784 film 4137289 page 707Graben |
Translation
Scholl infant birth 16 Nov 1784
Pastor J. J. Ritter helped with the burial and recorded the death in this Parish register.