The myth of the femme fatale or "poison women" of the 19th century is believed to be partly derived from the devastation of syphilis, with classic examples in literature including John Keats' La Belle Dame sans Merci.
Myten om femme fatale eller "giftige kvinder" i det 19. århundrede menes til dels at være afledt af syfilis' hærgen med klassiske eksempler i litteraturen, der inkluderer John Keats' La Belle Dame sans Merci.