Allyl thiourea polymers

A polymer composition comprising recurring units of the formula:

• ##STR3## wherein R is hydrogen or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are, individually hydrogen, a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group or an aryl group, R.sup.3 is hydrogen, a C.sub.1 14 C.sub.4 alkyl group or an aryl group, M is hydrogen, an alkali metal, ammonium or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl ammonium, Z represents the polymerization residue of any copolymerizable monomer except an acrylamide, x represents a residual mole percent fraction, y represents a mole percent fraction ranging from about 1.0 to about 49.0%, by weight, based on the total weight of x, y and z, z represents a mole percent fraction ranging from about 0% to about 49.0%, same basis, and the molecular weight of the polymer is between about 1000 and about 1,000,000.