Lingual Tonsil (Side)

The tonsils are a pair of oval-shaped organs in the back of the throat. They are part of the lymphatic system, producing lymph, which is important to the body's defense against infection. Along with the adenoids at the base of the tongue, the tonsils protect against upper respiratory tract infections. They enlarge gradually from birth to about seven years of age and then shrink. In the Middle Ages, pharmacists, surgeons and barbers all had the same trade and were called apothocaries. Since...