Two surveys of random population samples are reported. One was based in Lancashire, where cotton had been the most important source of employment, the other in N.I. where flax had been important. After allowing for age, height and smoking, lung function was about 5% lower in the ex-textile workers than in 'controls'. However the ex-textile workers were shorter than the controls, indicative of past social and nutritional deprivation which will probably have contributed to the decrement in lung function.