In this illustration from 'The Household Physician' of 1908, the upper figure shows the healthy cavity of the mouth. From the soft palate terminating in a double arch drops the uvula. The double arch with the uvula is called the fauces. The lower figure shows the same parts but here the the tonsils are very swollen with ulcers covered with yellow pustules. This tonsillitis is inflammation of the tonsils usually caused by a viral infection or, less commonly, a bacterial infection. It is a common condition in children, teenagers and young adults. Nowadays, tonsillectomy, the removal of tonsils, may not take place unless the patient had been to their GP seven times a year for three years with tonsillitis.