"First class accomodations in the science-lab deck."
Let's see, what's the physiological makeup of an earthworm anyway - does it posses a cardiovascular system, a skeletal framework, a brain?
What was it/what were they 'riding in' at the time of the accident?
The equivalent of a small-butter tub or better?
Okay, granted, I was implying virus/bacteria stuff in that paragraph...