General social welfare (housing, food, public health), basic sanitation, food and water quality regulation, and a few very early vaccines had far more to do wit

General social welfare (housing, food, public health), basic sanitation, food and water quality regulation, and a few very early vaccines had far more to do with this. Antibiotics weren't widespread until after WWII, as were most of the vaccines we currently consider standard. Medicine as a whole is an astounding example of diminishing returns to innovation.