The so-called Buitenhospitaal at Tji Panas in the mountains south of Buitenzorg was founded in order to unburden the overcrowded Binnenhospitaal at Batavia.
Its patients were sent there for a period of reconvalescence. It was founded when discussions took place about the building of the Buitenhospitaal at Noordwijk near Batavia.
The hospital at Tji Panas was a kind of Spa that served as a convalescence institution. The hot springs in the neighbourhood were used by the population to cure goitre. The wooden hospital was built on a hillside, surrounded by woods and valleys. It was staffed by Neuman, an opperchirurgijn (Chief surgeon) and an onderchirurgijn (second in charge). The building had two storeys, a covered walkway, a bathhouse and a pharmacy and was in demand by many sick people, inmates of the City Hospital (Binnenhospitaal).
In the first year of its existence, work was started to improve the surroundings by creating gardens and enclosing the premises by fences
However, in order to arrive in the mountains required a difficult and strenuous journey of four days. Quite an organization was set up to regulate transportation. Besides a large number of Javanese bearers, 40 buffalo carts and 70 to 80 buffaloes were needed.
In October 1752, the institution was set afire by people from Bantam. As soon as safety was restored, the fabrycq (architect) Hartkop was assigned to to build a new house above the three baths for 1,000 rijksdaalders. The total bed capacity was for 30 patients. Although this institution became well-known and was soon praised because of its results, its capacity was too small to disburden the overcrowded City Hospital. During its short existence the expenditure was ƒ 142,073, an annual amount of almost ƒ10,000.
By the Government resolution of 30 June 1761 the resort was closed.