272 THE CIRCULATION OF THE BLOOD 



the auricle will happen to contract during ventricular systole, causing a 

 distortion of the ventricular complex by the superimposition of a P 

 deflection. Except when this occurs the Q-R-S-T complex is the normal 

 supraventricular type. The P deflections occur more frequently than 

 the Q-R-S-T complex, showing that the auricles are beating more often 

 than the ventricles. The auricular rate in the average case of complete 

 heart-block is about 72, while the ventricular rate is much slower (35 

 to 40). 



