User blog comment:Jack Pistol/Immortal Dovahkiin?/@comment-4772788-20121004211426/@comment-3492791-20121004221526

Most people died in early times because they had no idea what germs were. Nothing was sanitary and disease was rampant.

In TES, any illness, regardless of how severe, can be cured by praying. Also everyone ever born knows the healing spell. I imagine that could turn back some mileage.

...well I guess they tried the same prayting thing too, but with less than satisfactory results.