The military infirmary 1st class at Lahat is mentioned in the publication of D. Schoute “De Geneeskunde in Nederlandsch-Indie in de 19e eeuw”, GTNI 75 (1935) 10, 827. This article refers to a survey of  all the military facilities in 1867 . In that year the infirmary at Lahat had on average 18 inpatients. The infirmary was part of the Military Medical Service (MGD), which in 1867 (the year of the survey of all military facilities) managed a total of 79 facilities (3 large military hospitals, 35 garrison hospitals and 41 infirmaries) with on average 4,244 occupied beds.

Some 25 year later, the Annex D of the Koloniaal Verslag 1890 reports a total  of 3,359 inpatients for the whole of the Netherlands Indies. The average occupation rate of the Lahat hospital (it has been upgraded in the meantime from Infirmary to hospital) is then 350 inpatients, whereas 509 (147 Europeans and 362 indigenous patients) have been admitted that year.

In 1898 (KV 1899, Annex A) there are 30 general military hospitals, 48 ziekenzalen (infirmaries), 32 garrison facilities, 10 military posts, 7 specialized military health facilities and 2 fiels hospitals. All together 129 military health facilities, who together by the end of 1898 are looking after 3,731 patients. During the year 1898 57,071 patients have been admitted to these facilities, with an almost equal division between European and indigenous patients. In that year the hospital at Lahat has admitted 363 patients and cares for 17 patients at the end of the year.

Lahat used to be in the 1930s the capital of the department Palembang Upperlands andof the subdepartment Lematang-hoeloe (Residency Palembang). station of the assistant-resident of the department and the controleur of the subdepartment. The town is situated 110 m above sea-level and has an agreeable climate. It is situated on a branch of the railroad Palembang- Teloekbetoeng and on the river Lematang, a branch of the Moesi river (Gonggryp 1934, 715).