No not really. Some small button cells have a tiny hole with a sticker over
it which activates it and then its age is limited. I think the ingress of
air is needed, but I'm no chemist. The main problem with those batteries is
contamination from your fingers. You should but I seldom do, handle them
using cotton gloves to stop the grease getting on them. Because the current
drain from them is small, any kind of build up of resistance can make them
crackle as the terminals oxidise or the muck gets in.
Brian

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"NY" wrote in message
...
My wife has always believed that if you touch both (and maybe just one)
terminal of a flat disc "button" battery (eg CR2032, CR1620 as used in a
watch, key fob, PC BIOS), you will cause the battery to discharge, so you
must take care when fitting a new battery not to "short the terminals with
your fingers".

I can imagine that sweat on the metal terminals *may* cause a bit of
oxidation over a long period of time, but I can't see how a body
resistance of many kilohms will cause the battery to go flat.

Is there any truth in what she's always believed and what she advises me
to do?