Anti-microbial quaternary ammonium co-polymers

A method of controlling the proliferation of bacteria which comprises applying to said bacteria an effective amount sufficient to inhibit their growth of a product formed by the condensation of a mixture of difunctional tertiary amines and a molar quantity of 1,4-dichloro-2-butene that is substantially equal to the molar sum of the mixture of the difunctional tertiary amines, said mixture of difunctional tertiary amines being selected from the group consisting of (a) 1,4-bis-(dimethylamino)-2-butene and N,N'-di-lower alkyl piperazine, (b) 1,4-diazabicyclo (2.2.2) octane and 1,4-di-(N-homo-piperidino)-2-butene, (c) 1,4-bis-(dimethylamino)-2-butene and 1,4-bis-(N-homo-piperidino)-2-butene, (d) 1,4-bis-(dimethylamino)-2-butene, 1,4-bis-(N-homopiperidino)-2-butene and N,N'-di-lower alkyl piperazine, (e) 1,4-bis-(dimethylamino)- 2-butene, N,N'-di-lower alkyl piperazine and 1,4-diazabicyclo (2.2.2) octane, and (f) 1,4-bis-(dimethylamino)-2-butene and 1,4-diazabicyclo (2.2.2) octane, each difunctional tertiary amine being present in a molar proportion of between about 10% and about 90% in the mixture of difunctional tertiary amines.