A cohort of 7020 male pottery workers born in 1916--1945 was identified from all employees in dust-exposed trades, subject to medical surveillance by the Benefits Agency Medical Service of the Department of Social Security in Stoke-on-Trent in the United Kingdom. All but 256 (3.6%) were traced, 1016 (15.0%) had died by 30 June 1992, and death certificates were obtained for 940 (92.5%) of the fatalities -- 122 from respiratory cancer. After the exclusion of any recorded asbestos exposure, the proportional mortality ratio (PMR) for lung cancer was 1.22 when calculated against national rates (P