Were there brothel inspectors in the Old West?

Were there brothel inspectors in the Old West?

T.J. Parmele
Herndon, Virginia

“Brothel Inspector” badges have been floating around at antique shows and on the Internet. They’re usually billed as the “real thing,” but they’re anything but—they’ve been around since the 1960s. In the brothels of the Old West, the madams did their own inspecting (sometimes with the help of a doctor).

Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian. His latest book is Wyatt Earp: Showdown at Tombstone.  If you have a question, write: Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or e-mail him at marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu