Finding Your Roots on PBS

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by Wasillaguy

Isn't it amazing that all those generations were able to survive and procreate and multiply the size of your family, without a giant government handing them everything? Working for evil companies that weren't regulated nine ways to Sunday? Crappy to non-existent health coverage?
I mean, you'd think everyone would have died out long before we got this wonderful system we have today.

True enough considering some were down the mines or in the mills by age 12 it IS a bloody wonder they survived. The women were doing fine birthing children (practically every year) as long as they had midwives. When the doctors started attending them during childbirth they were dropping like flies, but then I imagine you know of the work of Dr. Semmelweiss.

So you would have us return to that Golden Age, when life expectancy was about 48 or so? Which reminds me the FFHS National Burial Index just arrived.