There is wonderfully little danger in ordinary life of any such "block" as this. But there is very great danger of the pore being deprived of its secretive power, and of its power to open its mouth when that is so much wanted. Warm olive oil sets millions of pores to full work sometimes in a few seconds. Now let us look at the application of the soapy blanket in the light of these remarks. Here is a poor patient, sitting in an armchair by the fireside, labouring to get breath. It makes one feel burdened to see him. What is wrong? Are the pores blocked up? No; but they are more than half dead, and what they do secrete is not such an ethereal thing as it should be. Nearly all the work of getting rid of the waste of the body has been thrown for months upon the poor lungs. The kidneys, too, have got far more than their share, just because the pores are sickly. The remedy is the soapy blanket. This most valuable means of stimulating the healthy action of the skin (as prescribed in many articles in this volume) is prepared and applied as follows:--Have a good blanket, and plenty of M'Clinton's soap (_see_ Lather and Soap). Shear down a tablet or two into boiling water--as much water as the blanket will absorb. The blanket may be prepared as directed in article Fomentation, using these boiling _suds_ instead of water. Have the patient's bed ready, and spread on it a double dry sheet. Soak in the suds a piece of thick flannel large enough to go round the body under the armpits. Wring this out and put it on the patient. Wrap the blanket tightly round the patient from the neck downwards. Tie something round the waist to confine it close to the body. Put the patient into bed, and wrap the feet well up in the blanket. If it is not sufficient to cover them, an extra piece of soapy flannel must be used. Then wrap the sheets over the patient above the moist blanket, and cover all nicely up. In removing the blanket, which may remain on half-an-hour, it is well to proceed gradually, uncovering the body bit by bit, sponging each part with hot water and vinegar or weak acetic acid (_see_ Acetic Acid), and rubbing hot oil on after drying. Dry this oil off, and cover each dried part of the body either with clothing or blankets before uncovering a fresh part.