In 1858, from February 11 to July 16, Bernadette Soubiroux, a 14 year old girl, saw the BLESSED VERIIN eighteen times in visions. The VIRGIN told the girl to have the priests build a chapel on the spot and processions should be made to the grotto. Today over a million travellers visit Lourdes each year, and many thousands of miraculous cures have been recorded by those who visited the shrine. Although the waters have no curative properties of a natural nature the miracles continue. The occult water called Lourdes water is used by those who believe in its healing powers for such diseases as TUBERCULOSIS, TUMORS, CANCERS, DEAFNESS, BLINDNESS, AND NERVOUS DISORDERS.