Finding Mr. Right 1920's style: Be prepared to get your bunsen burner out

A couple of weeks ago the lovely Emily kindly let me do a guest post on her blog. While she was getting a nice tan and staring at some hunky waiters (you lucky thing you), I wrote all about dating tips from the 1930's and updated them for the modern girl. You can read all about it and see some funny black and white pictures here. I enjoyed learning about the old dating techniques and it sort of made me want to be on the dating scene again, just so I could try them all out. Although you can't beat a weekend of Dad's Army, cake and cuddles with Mr. Boyfriend.

After doing this post I did some more research into old dating tips and found some great but very funny advice. Recently an article from a 1924 edition of Science and Invention magazine has been discovered. The article gives some bizarre methods on how to test a couple's compatibility, so if you are wondering whether you've found your Mr Darcy or not, then you may want to try out these techniques.

These so called 'basic' tests consist of four unusual experiments, including the body odour test, the nervous disorder test, the sympathy test and the physical attraction test. Now beat that Match.com.

In the body odour test one person should place themselves in a large capsule with a hose attached and then their partner takes a big sniff off the smell. If it is not found 'too objectionable' then the match is 'safe'. This sounds as bad as smelling your man's feet. Warning: This test may make you rush to Boots to buy them some deodorant. Thank god for the 3 for 2 offer.

The aim of the nervous disorder test is to find out whether at least one half of a couple can be calm under pressure. The test imagines a man shooting a gun into the air with the reactions from you and your partner recorded. If both of you pee your pants and run screaming to the biscuit tin then you apparently shouldn't get married.

The sympathy test is done to find out whether a husband or wife is sympathetic to their partner when they are in pain. One of you must watch your partner go through something mildly traumatic, such as giving blood. In my opinion finding the Asos dress you desperately wanted out of stock or your man watching England lose at the football is equally traumatic. Whoever is watching the test has their heart rate and breathing measured. If the rates increase then they are thought to be a 'sufficiently sympathetic partner'. What this test does not take into account is the 'sympathy' and transformation into Florence Nightingale us ladies have to go through when our poor darling has man flu.

The final test is the physical attraction test and according to the magazine it is the most important factor in any marriage. Well who really wants to be stuck with a Sideshow Bob lookalike the rest of their lives? I'd have Rock Hudson over him anyday. The test is done by measuring the couple's pulse and breathing rate when they embrace. If both heart rates increase when they hug or kiss, this is then 'scientific evidence' of attraction. Your man jumping on you even when Top Gear is on might be a sign as well.

The magazine says that the tests are vital for establishing a happy relationship and for finding out if a couple should have children together. It says 'We take extreme care in breeding horses, dogs and cats, but when we come to ourselves we are extremely careless and do not use our heads, nor the means that science puts in our hands for scientific breeding.' Um ok, these tests sound interesting, but charm, a sense of humour and kindness does it for me I don't know about you ladies. Obviously muscly arms and a six pack is a pretty big bonus too.

Second Hand Rose
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