Measuring the presence and incidence of cholera in Hindustan: New data from primary sources for the colonial era.

We build a new dataset covering 90 years of Cholera spreading in Hindustan from 1814 to 1904. We gather data from a collection of primary sources issued from medical reports. We propose a harmonization procedure to make these data comparable and corresponding to the current borders of India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Our methodology is corroborated when comparing our newly produced data with other accounts, in particular Roger (1926)'s estimations. It opens the door to research aiming at estimating the effect of the successive waves of Cholera on the economic, social and epidemiological dynamics of the region.

Once bitten, twice bold? Early life tragedy and central bankers' reaction to COVID-19.

Have negative experiences (in particular, natural disasters) that central bankers' have known in their early life influenced monetary policy decisions in front of the COVID-19 pandemic? We answer this question using a sample of 19 developing countries. We show that central bankers who experienced episodes of epidemics in their early life lowered interest rates faster and lower during the COVID-19 pandemic. Personal experience of decision-makers has contributed strongly to explain their behavior during the crisis.