At certain seasons the waters of this pool were agitated, and it was commonly believed that this was the result of supernatural power, and that whoever first after the troubling of the pool stepped into the waters, would be healed of whatever disease he had. Hundreds of sufferers visited the place; but so great was the crowd when the water was troubled that they rushed forward, trampling underfoot men, women, and children, weaker than themselves. Many could not get near the pool. Many who had succeeded in reaching it died upon its brink. Shelters had been erected about the place, that the sick might be protected from the heat by day and the chilliness of the night. There were some who spent the night in these porches, creeping to the edge of the pool day after day, in the vain hope of relief.

På visse tider blev vandet i denne dam oprørt, og det var den almindelige tro, at dette skete ved en overnaturlig krafts medvirken, og at den, der som den første, efter at vandet var kommet i oprør, trådte ud i dammen, ville blive helbredt, hvilken sygdom han end led af. Hundredvis af syge mennesker besøgte dette sted; men skaren var så stor, at de, når vandet kom i oprør, styrtede frem og trådte mænd, kvinder og børn, der var svagere end de selv, under fod. Mange kunne ikke komme hen i nærheden af dammen. Mange af dem, for hvem det var lykkedes at komme derhen, døde ved dens bred. Der var blevet bygget læskure i nærheden, så de syge kunne finde beskyttelse mod heden om dagen og kulden om natten. Der var nogle, der tilbragte natten i overdækkede indgange, og som dag efter dag krøb hen til kanten af dammen i det frugtesløse håb om at blive helbredt.