In the present paper the elastic scattering of deuterons by heavy nuclei is investigated through the analysis of the available data at 11 MeV and 15.2 MeV. Because Ze2/ℏv ≫ 1 and the reduced wave-length of the deuteron is much shorter than the nuclear dimensions, the center-of-mass motion of the deuteron can be described by the classical approach. The wave mechanical description is applied only to the internal motion of the deuteron. It is shown that for the deuteron scattering at 11 MeV the departure from the Rutherford scattering can be completely attributed to the electric breakup of the deuteron. The result of the analysis of the deuteron scattering at 15.2 MeV shows that although at larger scattering angles the effect of the nuclear absorption due to the diffractional scattering of deuterons cannot be neglected, the main contribution to the depature from the Rutherford scattering comes from the effects of the electric breakup of the deuteron. The calculation of the cross section of the electric breakup by the semi-classical method of the virtual quanta modified for the non-relativistic case is performed to compare with the result obtained from the analysis. The limitation of this method is also discussed. In conclusion, it is emphasized that the mechanism of the elastic scattering of deuterons by heavy nuclei is quite different from those of the elastic scattering of alpha-particles by nuclei and of deuterons by light nuclei.