KEATING. William Hypolitus, chemist, born in Wilmington, Delaware, 11 August, 1799; died in London, England, about 1844. His ancestors removed from Ireland to France to escape religious persecution, and were ennobled by Louis XVI. His father, Baron JOHN Keating, was colonel in the French army, and was stationed with his regiment in the West Indies at the beginning of the Revolution. Resigning his commission, he came to this country and settled in Wilmington, after which he removed to Philadelphia. The eldest son, JOHN, who died at the age of twenty-five, attained distinction at the Philadelphia bar, served in the state legislature, and married the granddaughter of Francis Hopkinson, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence (q. v.). William was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1816, and received his scientific training in polytechnic and mining schools of Prance and Switzerland. On his return to Philadelphia he was elected to the newly organized chair of chemistry and mineralogy in the University of Pennsylvania, which post he held from 1822 till 1827. He delivered several courses of lectures. and opened a laboratory in the old university building. His efforts for an institution of higher aims in scientific instruction ultimately led to the founding of the Franklin institute in 1824, in which he was professor of chemistry. He was geologist and historiographer of Major Stephen H. Long's second expedition in 1823. Subsequent to his scientific studies he had read law, and was practising with success when he was sent to England to negotiate the first mortgage loan of the Reading railroad company. He was the author of a "Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St, . Peter's River, etc., in 1823" (2 vols., Philadelphia, 1824; London, 1825).--His nephew, William Valentine, physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 4 April, 1823, was graduated at St. Mary's college, Baltimore, in 1840, and, after receiving his medical degree at the University of Pennsylvania in 1844, began to practise in Philadelphia, where he has since remained. In 1860 he was elected professor of obstetrics in Jefferson medical college, which chair he resigned, owing to impaired health, and was clinical lecturer there for several years, he was also physician at St. Joseph's hospital and at St. Joseph's orphan asylum, and acting surgeon in the United States army. After the battle of Gettysburg he was medical director of the United States army hospital on Broad and Cherry streets, Philadelphia, and previously he had been connected with the staff of the Satterlee hospital. He edited Churchill on " Diseases of Children" (Philadelphia, 1856) and Ramsbotham's "Obstetrics " (1856). -His son, John M., physician, born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 30 April, 1852, studied at Seton hall college, South Orange, New Jersey, and was graduated at the University of Pennsylvania in 1873, and subsequently at the Philadelphia polytechnic college. In 1879 he travelled with General Grant to India. Burmah, Siam, and China. He is now (1887) medical director of the Pennsylvania mutual life insurance company. In addition to numerous publications in the medical journals, he is the author of "With General Grant in the East" (Philadelphia, 1880): "Mother's Guide for Management and Feeding of Infants" (1881); and "Maternity. Infancy, and Childhood" (1887); and is joint author of "Diseases of the Heart in Infancy and Adolescence" (1887).