Dr. Danister Perera has written an essay, which you can read here, about how, aside from their use as sources for medical history, Sri Lankan medical manuscripts can be used to revitalize traditional knowledge.
The essay discusses the significance of McGill’s collection of medical palm leaf manuscripts from Sri Lanka, acquired by Dr. Casey Wood. These manuscripts, dating from the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries, are being scanned and cataloged. They are culturally significant, and a lot has gone into their preparation, inscription, and conservation. The content of the manuscripts covers various medical topics, astrology, rituals, and Buddhist texts, and studying them can provide insights into the history of medicine and cultural practices in Sri Lanka. Despite debates on repatriation, the focus remains on preserving and studying the content.
Hidden Hands in Colonial Natural Histories 