Conditions in the now developed countries are not fully available the distant past, it may safely be conjectured that the average expectancy was very short at that time.
The life span in 3500 B. in the pre Greek period was only 31 years. Up to 1750 A.D., gains in the average life span were not substantial, being 40 years in 1750 A.D. During this period, the average life expectancy fluctuated within a range of years to 40 years.
According to the estimates of Stolnitz, the average expectation of life at birth for both sexes in “the Wes (including Northern and Western Europe, Northern America are Oceania) in 1850 was around 40 years. Since then, tremendous progress has have been made in achieving a higher life expectance.
The average expectation of life at birth for both sexes for European countries and one State in the United States of America during the period 1840-1965 is given.
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It may be observe that during this period of 125 years, the average life span for these countries increased from 41.0 years to 72.3 years. It is evident that the rate of increase was slower in the nineteenth century than is the twentieth century.
The most striking gains in the average expectation of life at birth were made in the decade 1940-1950, that is, immediately after the Second World War.
The crude death rates for the more developed countries from the beginning of the twentieth century to 1997 are presented. It may be pointed out that, during the period 1906-1909 the crude death rates in Europe varied a great deal. In general Eastern and Southern Europe had higher crude death rates than.