Skip to main content

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Other Publications
    • UWP

User menu

  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart

Search

  • Advanced search
Journal of Human Resources
  • Other Publications
    • UWP
  • Register
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
  • My Cart
Journal of Human Resources

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current
    • Ahead of print
    • Archive
    • Supplementary Material
  • Info for
    • Authors
    • Subscribers
    • Institutions
    • Advertisers
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Editorial Board
  • Connect
    • Feedback
    • Help
    • Request JHR at your library
  • Alerts
  • Free Issue
  • Special Issue
  • Follow uwp on Twitter
  • Follow JHR on Bluesky
Research ArticleArticles

Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality in the United States, 1880-1910

D. Mark Anderson, Kerwin Kofi Charles, Michael McKelligott and Daniel I. Rees
Published online before print March 07, 2025, 0823-13084R2; DOI: https://doi.org/10.3368/jhr.0823-13084R2
D. Mark Anderson
*Montana State University, research fellow at IZA, and research associate at the NBER E-mail:
Roles: professor of economics
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Kerwin Kofi Charles
†NBER. E-mail:
Roles: Dean of the Yale School of Management, and a research associate
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Michael McKelligott
‡Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago. E-mail:
Roles: Ph.D. student
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
Daniel I. Rees
§Universidad Carlos III de Madrid. E-mail:
Roles: professor of economics
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

The late 19th century urban milk supply in the United States was regularly skimmed and diluted with (potentially contaminated) water; dyes, caramel, and salt were added to conceal adulteration; boric acid was added to forestall souring. In an effort to protect consumers, most major American cities adopted minimum quality standards (MQSs) for milk and hired inspectors to enforce them. Using newly transcribed data on 35 cities for the period 1880-1910, we find that the hiring of milk inspectors is, after five years, associated with an 11-14 percent reduction in deaths from diarrheal diseases and typhoid; after 10 years, the hiring of milk inspections is associated with a 18-32 percent reduction in deaths from these diseases. Our estimates provide evidence that, when applied directly to a good the quality of which is difficult to ascertain, well-defined MQSs can improve the health of consumers.

JEL Codes:
  • H75
  • I18
  • N31

This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.

Log in using your username and password

Forgot your user name or password?

Purchase access

You may purchase access to this article. This will require you to create an account if you don't already have one.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Journal of Human Resources: 60 (3)
Journal of Human Resources
Vol. 60, Issue 3
1 May 2025
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Index by author
  • Front Matter (PDF)
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Journal of Human Resources.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality in the United States, 1880-1910
(Your Name) has sent you a message from Journal of Human Resources
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the Journal of Human Resources web site.
Citation Tools
Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality in the United States, 1880-1910
D. Mark Anderson, Kerwin Kofi Charles, Michael McKelligott, Daniel I. Rees
Journal of Human Resources Mar 2025, 0823-13084R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0823-13084R2

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
Share
Safeguarding Consumers Through Minimum Quality Standards: Milk Inspections and Urban Mortality in the United States, 1880-1910
D. Mark Anderson, Kerwin Kofi Charles, Michael McKelligott, Daniel I. Rees
Journal of Human Resources Mar 2025, 0823-13084R2; DOI: 10.3368/jhr.0823-13084R2
Twitter logo Facebook logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One
Bookmark this article

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Figures & Data
  • Supplemental
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

  • Google Scholar

Cited By...

  • No citing articles found.
  • Google Scholar

More in this TOC Section

  • Heterogeneous Returns to Active Labour Market Programs for Indigenous Populations
  • Leadership & Gender Composition in Managerial Positions
  • The Impact of Paid Family Leave on Families with Health Shocks
Show more Articles

Similar Articles

Keywords

  • H75
  • I18
  • N31
UW Press logo

© 2025 Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System

Powered by HighWire