The metaphor here is very direct, as Odo's solid form is breaking down in the turbolift, and he is in danger of melting, something he desperately wants to hide from Lwaxana Troi. Star Trek writers ...
Lest we forget (Vadic certainly hadn't), Odo was used as an intermediary for ... However, according to the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, in the first instance it was Doctor Mora Pol ...