WHEN I referred to our sick present day society, George Cowley responded by referring to the days when the authorities sentenced people to be "hanged, drawn and quartered," (You Say, August 8).

Mr Cowley suggested that sadism always has existed. Of course one can think of other punishments in previous centuries - burning at the stake, breaking on the rack and wheel and horrific floggings.

However, in olden days, these actions were taken by those in authority against people, who according to the mores of the time, had committed heinous crimes, such as blasphemy, holding religious beliefs deemed heretical, speaking ill of the monarch or "sinning in naked bed" - i.e. having sex outside of Christian marriage!

Of course, more liberal views now prevail. The point is, however, that those in authority in church and state in bygone centuries inflicted awful suffering on such offenders, not because they gained any hedonistic satisfaction, but because they saw it as their duty.

Indeed it was even considered to be in the long-term interest of the offenders, because, only in that way could their "immortal souls" be saved.

The difference today is that the dregs of society subject their fellow humans and animals to unspeakable cruelty merely to satisfy their evil sadistic lust.

D E MARGRETT,

Rowan Court,

May Avenue,

Worcester.