The unusual case of the Bulgarian brolly.

Taken from http://search.gallery.yahoo.com/search/corbis?p=umbrella&b=37&strip=

On Friday 8^th September 1979, Georgi Markov was admitted to hospital with high fever and vomiting.  The only mark on his body was a small inflamed wound on his right thigh.  X-ray did not reveal any object in it.

Markov?s condition was alarming.  His temperature and blood pressure had plummeted, while his pulse soared to 160 beats per minute.  Doctors were also astonished to discover that his white blood cell count had tripled.  Over the weekend, their patient became violent and confused, and on Monday 11^th September 1979, Georgi Markov died.

However, the confusing thing was that the night before, he was completely healthy.  There was one strange incident, though.  While crossing Waterloo Bridge, Markov felt a sharp jab in his right thigh.  He turned quickly to see a man behind him, brandishing a furled umbrella.  The stranger mumbled a quick apology, and hurried off to get a taxi.  Markov thought little more of the occurrence, and continued to work, unaware that he would be dead in a few days.

What really happened that night?  Who was the man on the bridge?  And did Georgi Markov die of a strange disease, or something more sinister?