Small, light brown, glass bottle with a label for Parke, Davis, & Co. Sublimate Pills. A highly poisonous compound, corrosive sublimate had a number of uses in photography, pest control, preservation, and medicine. It is more commonly known under its contemporary name of mercury chloride. In the early 20th century, it was a common over-the-counter cure for measles and syphilis and often used as an antiseptic and disinfectant. It was responsible for many accidental poisonings, suicides, and suspected murders.