1984 cottons were different! The results of cottons processed in mills, classers' specimens for special studies, and specially collected cottons all show a different microbial flora from the 1983 cotton crop specimens. Data will be presented showing changes in numbers of organisms and types of organisms present in these cottons. The changes in the endotoxin and microbial levels present in the cottons are reflected in changes in the airborne levels of these materials in the mill environment. This study was prompted by the occurrence of pulmonary symptoms in workers at one mill.